Amore
by ShibaDG
Summary: Nothing would change the fact that Ursa loved Loki. Nothing would convince her that he was evil. And nothing would get in the way of their life together. Nothing, not Odin, not even Zeus would change anything. A Loki Love story. Pre-Thor and on.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello readers! Thank you for clicking on this story, I hope you will enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything Marvel related except for my OC._

"_Happiness hit her, like a train on a track._

_Coming towards her, stuck still, no turning back._

_She hid around corners, and she hid under beds._

_She killed it with kisses and from it she fled."_

_-Dog Days are Over, Florence + The Machine_

In the palace of Asgard sat the All-Father, Odin, on his great throne. To his right was his first born son, Thor- the God of Thunder. He was a mighty warrior in training still, who thought with his hammer and found great pleasure in defeating his enemies. He often sparred with his four great friends- Lady Sif, Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun. For many years they had been together, fighting ferocious beasts and winning great battles. Of course, this was all accomplished by disobeying strict orders given by Odin, but the five of them could not resist the rush given through the swing of an axe or sword and finding themselves bathed in glory for their victory.

To Odin's left sat his younger son, Loki-the God of Mischief and Lies. He was described as sneaky and so honey-tongued that when caught red handed he swayed his victims with words so sweet they could not bear to punish him. He joined his brother and friends on their missions for glory from time to time, but he mostly preferred to stay in the palace of Asgard and practice his sorcery. He had become even better than those who had taught him. He could move all elements of matter and teleport to any place he wished. He used this to his advantage often and played tricks on his brother and guests when they came to join the royal family for a feast. There were few who could avoid Loki's magic, one of them being his mother Frigga. Yes, when he was little he made a mess of his magic, but always Frigga would be gentle and kind to him.

And there was only one person he had never been able to trick, sneak upon, or even lie to. Her name was Ursa, the daughter of Alethea- the Goddess of Truth and Purity. The Goddess and Odin were good friends, despite the fact that her brother despised Odin. For centuries, Alethea would visit the Aesir with Ursa. The first time Loki had ever met Ursa, the two were merely children. He was sitting in the library, reading a book of magic, one of his first, when suddenly the words on the page began to change. They mushed together and formed a picture of two dolphins swimming through the sea. Loki looked up to see a small Ursa grinning from behind a bookshelf. Quickly, she ran away.

It was Thor that Ursa ran into after her trick on Loki. Thor, when he first met Ursa, was impressed, not with her magic, but with her beauty even at a young age. She had long, brown hair that shined almost as wonderfully as Sif's in the sunlight. Her skin was like a porcelain doll's and was as soft as a baby's. Her eyes looked to have been made of emeralds from how green they were.

She laughed at the small boy as he stared at her. He kneeled down and took her hand and in as deep of a voice that a boy at his age could manage he said, "Young maiden, as prince of Asgard I ask you-may I have this hand in marriage?"

Loki came into the hallway they were in at that moment and heard Thor's words. He was shocked at his brother and even more shocked when Ursa laughed. "I am no simple maiden that you can impress by being a prince, Thor." She cackled. "I do not accept and you should try learning my name before asking me to marry you." She snatched her hand away and continued her run from the two Princes. Loki came to stand next to Thor and they both stared after the child.

"First to catch her may have her as queen." Thor said quickly before chasing after Ursa. Loki debated going back to his book or not before following his brother in his pursuit.

From then on, the three were good friends. She would attend feasts with her mother and often freeze Loki's drink or merely smile at him from her seat down the table. Alethea often sat with Frigga, talking about each other's worlds and how different or alike they were.

Thor settled for eating as much as he could.

As the years went by, Loki asked her to teach him the tricks she played on him often. "I learned on my own. I suggest you do the same, Prince Loki." She then poked his shoulder and his cape fell to the floor of the dining hall. Loki laughed, but wondered why it was that she could do so many things but remained unaffected by his magic. It did not make sense.

One day, when the two Princes and their father were sitting at their three thrones, Alethea came in alone. She was a beautiful woman who had long auburn hair that nearly reached her ankles. Her lips were always painted a dark red that complimented her brown eyes. It was easy to see where Ursa received her beautiful skin from. "Alethea, my good friend, it is good to have you here once more." Odin greeted her.

Alethea smiled and kneeled down to the All-Father. "It is wonderful to be here." She stood strait and addressed the Princes. "Thor, you are as dashing as ever. Same to you, Loki." Thor chuckled and Loki looked around. "Where is Ursa?" He asked.

The moment the words came from his mouth, two hands came from behind and covered his eyes. "Goodness Loki, where did you get such a helmet?" Ursa's voice held laughter in it and Loki could feel her struggle to bend over and avoid his golden horns.

He laughed. "The gnomes, of course." He took her hands away from his eyes and turned to look at her. Her eyes sparkled as she bent over to hug her friend. He relished in the warmth she brought and how she had always come to see him before Thor. She was the only person who seemed to prefer his company over his brother's.

"Ursa, will you ever cease to be the wild girl you are?" Odin smiled at the girl as she stood up strait. "It may not suit you well when the time comes for you to marry." Ursa laughed, the sound of it ringing all through out the throne room.

"My king," She started. "I have no plans to marry. I am well living with my mother and her family. Zeus is fond of my independence as he is for his own daughter Artemis. I see no reason to ever change anything as long as I have my family and friends such as you." Ursa placed a hand on Loki's shoulder. He felt his cape come off. "And if I marry, I won't be able to have as much as I do now." Ursa laughed as Loki sighed and went to put his cape back into its proper place.

"Ursa, welcome back." Thor stood and walked to the green-eyed girl with open arms. She ran to him and hugged him.. "It is good to see you." He said as he released her. She laughed once more before kneeling to Odin.

"My king, I am full of joy to be here once more." She placed her fist over her heart for only a second before running to hug Odin. Alethea came and pulled her daughter away with ease.

"How is Frigga?" Alethea asked.

Ursa turned from the king and her mother as they began to talk and looked a her friends. "So, have either of you found a girl that has the patience to put up with you?" She placed her hands onto her hips.

Thor laughed. "No, there is no maiden that I have seen that is fit to be my queen." He turned to the vast room of gold. "But I am sure I will be fine on my own." He sighed through his nose.

At this Loki stood. "Brother, you will not be alone. You have not only me, but Lady Sif and the others at your side." He took Thor's shoulder. "You will not have to hold the burden of the throne on your own."

Thor turned to his younger brother, pleased with his words. "Thank you, my brother." He patted Loki's cheek lightly. Behind them, Ursa coughed. They turned to face her.

"You two speak as if the future king of Asgard has already been chosen." She crossed her arms. "How do you know Loki will not be king?" The two Princes looked down in an awkward silence and Ursa laughed. "Since neither of you have found a wife, and the king has yet to be chosen, the first to catch me may be crowned and have me as their queen." With that, she disappeared.

Thor grinned and bolted out of the throne room. Loki, like he had centuries before, stood for a moment before following his brother. Odin sighed. "I have yet to see any of those three grow into adulthood and stop these childish games." He laughed lightly before turning to Alethea. "How is Zeus?" The Goddess frowned.

"He is the same as always. He continues his affairs with young girls and leaves Hera alone. I've never enjoyed her company, but I do not believe it is right for him to hurt her in such ways." Alethea shook her head.

"Does she still not know?" Odin looked at her with his one eye carefully.

Alethea shook her head. "No, she is still in the belief that we are both born of Cronus. I don't think she will ever know. If she does, I can only imagine what she would do to Ursa." The Goddess placed a hand over her falling face. Odin took her hand.

"Come, Frigga has been awaiting your return."

Thor ran through the halls of the palace, searching for Ursa. He had been to the dining hall and garden where he found no one but the servants. Loki took the much less tiring route and simply teleported from room to room. He had been to the same places as Thor, not trusting his brother to look properly for a girl who knew her way around magic even better than himself. He had removed his helmet and armor that he usually wore when sitting at his throne and walked through the rooms quietly.

He was in the gardens when he saw something gold sparkle in one of the many trees. He ran to the tree, expecting to find Ursa who loved to adorn herself with jewels of gold, but instead his horned helmet came toppling down to his feet. He picked up the helmet and looked at it for a moment before sighing. He knew where she was.

Thor stormed through the library, searching each aisle of books. He loved playing this simple game of hide and seek with his friend. He thought of Ursa as nothing more than a close friend and had no intentions of ever having a sorceress as his queen, but he found joy in chasing her around, and he had yet to find her before Loki each time they played.

Loki opened the doors to his chambers and found Ursa wearing his gold and green armor along with his cape. She was posing in front of his wardrobe mirror when she saw him walk through the door through the reflection. "Ah, Loki, you've found me. I must say I don't understand how you can wear this armor. I can't stay in this for very long. It's much too bulky for me." She removed the cape and hung it up.

"That's because it is made for a man and not a woman." Loki picked up Ursa's dress from where she had dropped it, his hand shook slightly, and walked to her slowly and held up her dress to her. She took it and began to remove the armor. Loki turned away before the clothing came of completely. She never seemed to understand that a woman should not show too much of herself before marriage to any man. Always, when they would become dirty after playing, she would remove her clothing without a second glance to the two boys and run off to her bath.

It used to be funny when they were little, but now all it did was show that she had no manners or the decency to change in another room. Not to mention it made Loki nervous.

"Did you know that compared to a mortal, we would be only fourteen?" Ursa spoke as she placed his armor back into the wardrobe. When he did not answer, she kept talking. "It's hard to believe, really. We've been alive for centuries and have barely aged." She looked at the back of Loki's head and noticed his ears were pink. She smirked.

"What's the matter, Prince Loki?" She asked teasingly a she slipped her dress on. "Don't tell me that my changing in your room makes you nervous. We've known each other for ages, you should not let such things bother you." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to pull him to face her, but he did not budge. "I am dressed, so there's no need to be turned away anymore."

"A woman should not show any man such things until she is married." Loki said through gritted teeth. His face felt like it was on fire and he was not about to let Ursa see that.

"Hmmm... I've upset you." She leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Then, she was in front of Loki, taking his helmet from his hands and placing it on her head. It looked quite silly- her eyes were completely covered and the bottom, which usually reached Loki's chin, came down to the base of her throat. "What do you think?" She held the golden helmet with both hands on each side of her head. "Am I fit to sit at the throne?"

Loki looked at the girl before him, ridiculous with golden horns and sticking her tongue out playfully, and began to laugh. He wrapped his hands around his own waist as he bent over from how hard he laughed. Ursa lifted the helmet slightly to look at him. She hardly ever had the opportunity to see Loki in such a state. Yes, they often played together, but he was almost always so quiet and gentle. He hardly ever really played roughly with she and Thor or enjoyed the jokes that they shared. So to see him enjoying her small stunt so much made her heart beat pick up and her lips curl up into a triumphant smile.

Ursa removed the helmet from her head and placed it on the small stand from which she took it. "Now it seems you've won the race to catch me. What will be your first act as king, my lord?" Loki placed his hands on his knees to steady himself before answering. He took a few deep breaths and looked up at her, smiling.

"My first act," He straitened himself and stepped forward so that he was inches away from her face. "Will be to find a crown that fits my queen." He picked her up, bridal style, and carried her from his chambers to find Thor.

Frigga wrapped her arms around Alethea. "Darling, it is good to see you. How have you been?" The two women leaned back and held each other's arms.

"I have been well. Things are as they always are in Olympus." Alethea's smile was tight as she tried to have an expression of happiness on her face, but Frigga saw through it.

"My dear, what is wrong?" She eyed her friend carefully. The Goddess tried to come up with something, but as she ruled Truth she could not lie, especially to Frigga.

"Zeus is demanding more from me. He is no longer satisfied with only watching over Ursa from a distance. He wants to treat her as her father should." Alethea looked away. Frigga released her.

"But he should know what Hera will do if he is to do that." Alethea sat on the edge of the Queen's bed and held her head in her hands. "If he treats Ursa as his own, Hera will not only become ridiculously jealous as always, but she will hurt you and Ursa both." Frigga's lips tightened. "And we can't have that." She sat next to Alethea and put an arm over her shoulders. "We will find a way to appease him, do not worry."

Alethea shook as she began to sob. "That is simply it, Frigga. I have found a way." Her words sounded crushed as she struggled to speak. "This will be my last visit to Asgard." Frigga stiffened. "When the cold season comes, I am to go to Olympus and never return here. That way Zeus will have more time with Ursa and Hera will never hurt us." Alethea stood and wiped her tears away. She could not look at Frigga. She could not bear the hurt that would be on her dearest friend's face. "Please, don't tell the boys or Ursa." And then the Goddess walked silently out of the room.

At the feast that night, all seemed well. Thor had eaten an entire roasted ox along with his best mate, Volstagg. Fandral and Lady Sif ate just as much, only not as quickly or messily. Odin had a leg of goat and demanded wine be served to all who ate in his palace. Frigga and Alethea smiled and spoke as they always did, but there was a certain sadness in both of their eyes that only Odin seemed to notice. Ursa sat next to Loki and answered his questions about Olympus.

"Is it true- the rumors of Zeus having many mortal wives?"

Ursa sipped her drink. "It is. But none of them compare to Hera."

"Aren't they brother and sister?" Loki's brow furrowed in confusion.

Ursa nearly choked on her drink. She took a napkin and wiped her mouth. "We don't talk about that." She whispered before taking a large bite of lamb. "What matters is that they are together and love one another." _Mostly._ She wanted to add.

To tell the truth, it did disturb her that two siblings would marry and have children. She could never imagine doing such a thing. But, they were- at the time- the only living beings in existence and thought it no different than any other man and woman marrying each other. From time to time, Ursa wondered what would happen if they had not married and had instead waited. Would Zeus still have so many wives? Would Hera be a kinder, more gentle Goddess like Frigga?

"Thor, Volstagg, please control your appetites." Frigga scolded the two young warriors as they scarfed down their food. Thor leaned back and let out a belch, making Frigga and Alethea both shake their heads. Volstagg laughed. "Good one, mate."

The feast went on and soon they all retired for the night. Thor's four friends thanked their king for the wonderful food before returning to their proper homes, escorted by the Thunder God of course. Frigga showed Alethea and Ursa to their rooms, having her servants bring them the proper blankets and such for sleeping. As soon as Frigga left them alone, Ursa tackled her mother to the bed.

"Oh mother, why can we not simply live here instead of visiting?" She spoke into the soft sheets of the bed. Alethea sighed and stroked her daughter's hair.

"You know Zeus cares for you deeply. If we left him, he would be heart broken. And we both know that it is not wise to upset him."

"But we could visit him often, like we do with Odin. It would not be so different. We would simply spend more time here than we do there..." Ursa sat up next to her mother. "You could be with Frigga more often and I could be with Loki." Ursa looked down at her hands as she played with her hair. At that, Alethea knew that she should tell her daughter right then and there what was going on, but she did not want her daughter's last few months with her friends to be full of sadness and pain of what was to come next.

"My darling, it is better this way." Alethea sat up as well and patted Ursa's cheek. "Just enjoy the time that you have with those two boys." She stood and made her way to the bathroom. "Now go to your room and sleep." She shut the door.

Ursa sighed and did as her mother asked. Only, she did not go to her room.

Loki inspected his face in his bathroom mirror carefully. Still no facial hair. Thor had come to him a few weeks before when he was with Odin and announced that he had begun to grow a beard. His brother held his chin high up for days after that, showing off his small, but existing beard. Being the younger brother, Loki was jealous- not that he would admit to that. Odin told him his would come in soon enough, but it did not help Loki that much.

He had always lived in the shadow of Thor, always trying to impress those around him in order to be noticed, but always coming up short compared to his older brother. He did love Thor dearly, but he could see things no one else seemed to see. His brother did not think things through, only acted instinctively. He had always been lucky, but he knew that one of these days, his brother would need more than simple luck and muscle to keep himself safe.

Loki sighed and made his way from his bathroom to his bed. He was dressed in his softest silk robes that were, of course, dark green. He slipped into bed and, with a slow wave of his hand, turned out the lights of his chandelier. The moon and stars shined through his window and provided a small glow throughout the room. Loki settled into the soft sheets and found himself on the brink of falling asleep when he felt something move next to him.

The prince sat up quickly, lifting his hand to turn on the lights when someone tackled him and pinned his shoulders to the mattress. For just a moment he panicked before he heard an all too familiar giggle come from his attacker.

"Ursa," Loki let his head fall to his pillow. "What are you doing?"

The girl released him and laid next to him on top of his blankets. "I wanted to come in here so I did." She shrugged. Loki sighed.

"A lady should not be in bed with a man before marriage- have you not learned anything in your thousand years?" The last part came out angrily as he scowled at her in the dark.

"But you forget Loki, I am no lady." She turned to him and placed a hand on his cheek. She could see his eyes in the white glow that the moon provided. She could see he was not angry with her, but shocked and confused as to what to do with a girl in bed half dressed. "I'll only be here for a little while- there's something I want to do." She smiled. "And I also have something to tell you."

"What is it?" He asked, a bit eager.

"Remember this morning, when I told Odin that I had no plans to marry?" Ursa looked away from him, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

The prince held his breath. "Yes."

"Well, what I told him was a lie."

Loki felt time freeze for a moment. He looked at the young woman before him and saw something in her he had not seen before. She was absolutely beautiful. The moonlight made her skin glow like the stars that surrounded it. Her hand was warm and soft on his face as opposed to his rough and cold skin. The hair he had seen shine in the sun so many times had never looked softer than it did now- he wanted to run his fingers strait through it and explore the wonders that resided in this girl in front of him now. She stared at him with those emerald green eyes framed by long lashes and seemed to see what he saw in her in himself.

And then he looked at her lips. Her full, red lips that told him so much without even speaking a word. Loki breathed in and time moved once more. He saw Ursa's eyes flutter closed and her head lean forward. And then her lips were on his and his mind went completely blank. He did not think about the fact that she was an unmarried girl in his bed, what his mother would say, his jealousy for his brother or even the aftermath of this kiss. He concentrated on here and now.

He slipped his fingers into her hair and she did the same. The two divine beings held each other in that same position for a while. Enjoying the feel of their first kiss. It was a simple kiss, but the thoughts in their heads went wild for each other. Loki pulled her to his body, holding her above him with an arm around her waist. After a few moments of bliss, Ursa pulled back a few inches for air. She rested her forehead on Loki's, who was in the same state as her.

"Good night, Loki." She whispered between breaths. She kissed him once more on the cheek before disappearing.

Loki turned to lay on his back and spread his arms across the bed. There was no sleeping for him tonight, but there was a vow. He decided, when the time came, he would marry Ursa.

_Thank you for reading!_

_ Please review, I will be posting the next chapter as soon as I can._

_~SDG_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again readers! Thank you for clicking on this story, I hope you will enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything Marvel related except for my OC._

"_C'mon, baby, c'mon, darling,  
Let me steal this moment from you now.  
C'mon, angel, c'mon, darling,  
Let's exchange the experience"_

_-Running up that Hill, Placebo_

The months went by slowly after that. Loki and Ursa did not have a moment alone after that night, for the days they spent with Thor and his friends exhausted them to no end. They sparred with one another nearly every day. Thor demanded the two learn how to fight without magic.

"You can not predict when there shall be a time when you can not use your magic. You must learn to use your fists to ensure your protection." Was the God of Thunder's explanation to the sorcerers

Frigga urged Alethea to tell Ursa what was to happen. But the Goddess would not do it. "She should not have to hold that burden while she is here." Alethea told her friend. "This is the place she comes to play and be with those that she loves most. I want her to enjoy that, not be afraid every day of the future while she is here. Please Frigga, I want to enjoy your company as well before it is gone forever."

Frigga sighed. "Very well, but promise me that the children will have the chance to say their goodbyes." The Queen crossed her arms. Alethea smiled sadly.

"Of course."

Sif and Ursa had never been close, but one day when they fought against each other, Sif found a reason to like the girl for a reason other than the fact that she was a friend of the royal family.

Sif had her sword and shield at the ready and Ursa had chosen an assortment of daggers. They were both dressed in the same armor of silver and chain mail. The boys watched in suspense as the fight began.

Ursa made the first move by throwing one of her smallest daggers, only to be blocked by Sif's shield. The warrior took this opportunity to run at the other girl and swing her sword at her from above. Ursa moved to the side swiftly, dodging the deadly blow. Ursa's fist came up to meet Sif's left cheek, effectively knocking her away to a safe distance. Sif shook her head once in a rigid motion before running at Ursa once more, who prepared for the same attack. But instead of swinging her sword, Sif jumped a few yards in front of the daughter of Alethea and held her shield in front of her body as she came soaring down.

Ursa acted quickly. She steadied her legs in a wide stance and held out her arms. It would hurt later, but it was all she could come up with without running away. As soon as the shield was in her reach, Ursa grabbed both of its sides and, while Sif was still above her, falling and nearly crushing her, she pushed back and sent the friend of Thor tumbling to the ground. Ursa held the shield in her hand as she walked toward the girl on the ground. Sif attempted to sit up, but was blocked by Ursa standing above her, the girl's feet on either side of her torso.

"I do believe I win this round." Ursa laughed and removed herself from above the warrior. But Sif was not finished. She sprang up and tackled Ursa from behind. The two fell to the ground in a screaming, snarling mess. They pulled each other's hair and scratched skin with nails. Fandral stood to pull the two apart, but Thor held out a hand to stop him.

"It is best to allow two girls to solve their problems without the help of men." He pulled Fandral back to his seat. "And it is most entertaining." He laughed.

And so, the two girls continued their brawl. They had both begun to bleed from the cuts they had given one another, and had become covered in dirt from rolling around the concrete of the sparring arena. Ursa had come to be at the top and was attempting to pull out a chunk of Sif's hair when the young warrior kicked her in the chest and sent Ursa flying. The two stood quickly, breathing heavily, and stared each other down. They both had murder in their eyes, their hands ready to claw at skin and eyes. The only thing that distracted them from the death match at hand was Thor's great laughter.

At the same time, their heads snapped to the boys sitting and watching as they fought. Each was smiling and enjoying the show. Even Hogun had a spark of amusement in his eyes. Sif and Ursa looked down at themselves, noticing how torn and dirt their close and skin had become, then to each other. Both lowered their hands and relaxed their bodies. One more look to each other and they began to laugh together. They approached each other and locked hands.

"You fight well." Sif complimented Ursa.

"Not as well as you." Ursa gave Sif's hand a shake before releasing it. Sif turned to their small audience. "Who is next?" She shouted at them.

Thor stood with Fandral. Sif and Ursa took their seats and made themselves comfortable on the concrete. Thor and Fandral faced one another. Thor with his hammer, Fandral with his sword.

"Alright, God of Thunder," Fandral spoke, his sword pointed at his friend. "Let's see what you can do with that hammer."

Thor spread his arms wide. "Advance toward me, brethren."

Over the next few weeks, the seven found themselves nearly inseparable. Each day they trained together, sometimes going out of Asgard to look for trouble. Ursa loved every moment of it. She could not get over how her blood boiled and thoughts either rushed or halted when face to face with death. Always, she escaped a one-way trip to the afterlife, but not without Sif at her side. The two of them had become close ever since their fight. Sif explained that she did not trust someone not of Asgard, especially when Zeus and Odin were enemies. But she decided that Ursa had been around long enough, she no longer deserved to be treated in the way she was.

"And it doesn't hurt that you're not after my fiance." Sif said after a hard day of training. They were in Ursa's room changing out of their sweaty and filthy clothes.

Ursa was taken aback. "Your fiance?" She asked.

Sif laughed. "It is not official," A light blush came over her cheeks. "But I must confess that I care for Thor, more than a normal friend should."

Ursa froze as she was pulling her shirt off, her mouth hanging open. "You- you" Her lips curled up into a grin and her warrior mask that she wore for each training session broke and the young girl squealed. "You are my favorite Asgardian girl." She hugged the raven haired girl tightly. "And you have no reason to worry. Your secret is safe with me." She put a finger to her lips to exaggerate her point.

The two finished dressing and left for the dining hall.

"You have only two days left before you have to return to Olympus." Frigga told Alethea as they sat in Frigga's chambers as they always did. "When will you tell them?" She began to pace around the large room.

"I will tell them in time. Do not worry." Alethea took hold of her friend's arms and sat her down on the side of the bed. "I plan to tell them tonight."

"Oh, my friend, is there any way around this? Can you not simply stay and never return?" Frigga began to sob. "Zeus should not have such power over you. You are your own person, he should not be able to control you." Frigga spoke through gritted teeth, her anger for the mighty Zeus rising.

"You know that if I could stay I would. But I can't- and it is not because I am afraid of what he will do to me if I were to disappear, but what Hera would do once she saw how concerned Zeus would be and put two and two together." She held Frigga's hands in her own. "I will find a way to come back one day. But I need to take care of my child."

Frigga nodded in agreement.

Loki, Thor and Ursa walked through the halls of the palace, laughing and tripping one another. They were on their way to the throne room, answering a call from Odin. Loki and Thor had dawned their armor and crowns, Ursa had nothing better than her best white dress and gold jewelery to show. But the three did not mind.

"I have something to confess." Ursa stopped walking and the two princes stopped to look at her. She took a deep breath. "This has indeed been the best few months that I have ever spent with you." She glanced at Loki slyly. "And I want to say thank you, for always making me smile."

Thor smiled. "Nothing would give us greater pleasure." He wrapped his arms around Ursa. "It is us who should be thanking you. You have always brought us joy and have never told a single lie or brought nonsense to our world." He released her.

Loki nodded in agreement, but said nothing. Instead, he took hold of Ursa's hand when they began walking again and squeezed tightly. That told Ursa more that Thor's words had.

When they entered the throne room, they found Odin sitting solemnly in his seat and Alethea standing in front of him, staring at the three children.

They stood before their parents, waiting. "You called for us, father?" Thor asked after minutes had gone by without a word being spoken by anyone.

"Yes, I did. Alethea has something she needs to tell you." He gestured to the Goddess in front of him who stood silently. She opened her mouth, but closed it immediately. She breathed in through her nose and finally spoke.

"Ursa, tomorrow is your last day in Asgard." Alethea finally said. Ursa furrowed her brow in confusion. She knew that tomorrow she would be leaving. She stared into her mother's eyes and realized there was more to be told.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice shaky. She felt Loki take hold of hand gently.

"Tomorrow we will leave Asgard," The Goddess paused. "And never return."

Ursa, Loki and Thor stopped breathing. Loki squeezed her hand tightly now, Ursa choked as she struggled not to cry. This couldn't be happening. She had so many things left to do in this realm. She had just become best mates with Sif, not to mention she wanted to be with Loki as much as she possibly could. They had barely scratched the surface of a world of wonders they had yet to explore with one another. And Thor- her dear friend had taught her things she would never be able to forget. Brought her places that she had found things she didn't know to be real.

"No." Ursa barked. "I am not leaving. I have done nothing to deserve this." She took hold of Thor's hand as well.

"You have no choice. Zeus demands our presence at all times. He does not want us returning to this place. You know how he feels about Odin." Alethea tried to reason with her crumbling daughter.

"The bolt throwing man can live without me and you. Just because he and Odin have disagreements does not mean I must be forbidden to see those dear to me!" Ursa was screaming now. "I care not for him or anyone sitting on a golden throne of Olympus." Tears streamed down her face. "You can not make me go if I can not return!"

"Ursula." Alethea snapped. Her eyes were hard and her fists clenched up. "Do not speak to me that way. If you do not come willingly, I will use force." Ursa looked up at that. She knew exactly what that meant. She released the hands of Loki and Thor.

She wiped her tears away angrily and glared at her mother. She stood, her breaths coming in and out in huffs. "I'll go pack my things." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the throne room. It was only after she had sealed the door of her room that she let her tears fall full force from her eyes. She whaled and moaned as she slid down the door she had used to support herself.

Odin sent his two boys from the palace, told them to train with friends. "I hope you know what you are doing, Alethea."

Alethea stood completely still, continuing to stare at the spot where Ursa had been. "I hope so too."

"This isn't fair." Thor tossed a rock into the lake that he and Loki had come to after being sent away. "Zeus can not keep her in Olympus against her will."

"Zeus can do many things brother. It's best not to test him." He knew what went through Thor's mind. If he did not halt his thoughts, they would wind up in Olympus within hours. "She will return one day."

Thor sighed. "Perhaps you are right. We should not be sitting here. We should be with her." The prince stood and started his journey back to the palace with Loki following close behind.

Ursa threw random items into her bag. Mostly they were gifts that she had received from her friends over the last few months. Volstagg had made her a shield when she first began to train with them, claiming a lady should always protect herself properly. Sif had given her a necklace of gold that she had received from her parents and wore when she first began to train as a warrior.

"It kept me sane through out all those years. Reminded me that I had something to fight for." Sif had told her. Ursa loved the gift, but knew that if she took it back to Olympus, she would have to hide it, for the other Gods and Goddesses loved fine things such as this.

She was staring down at her first and final gift from Sif when she heard a loud knock on her door. "Ursa!" Thor's voice came through. "It is Thor and Loki, please open the door."

Quickly, Ursa wiped away her tears. She lifted the spell she had placed on the door in order to keep certain people out and allowed the two boys to come inside. They walked in and saw that she had not only been packing, but that she had gone into a rage. The wooden wardrobe was completely obliterated, the bed torn to shreds- leaving the feathers to spread across the room. The curtains had been torn down and burned. Ursa stood looking down at her hands.

"I'm sorry." She choked out. "I'll fix it before I leave."

The boys stood, staring at the wreckage before them, and looked at each other. Thor moved first and hugged Ursa tightly. "That does not matter." He said as he rested his chin on her shoulder. He felt her shake and looked at Loki, telling him with his eyes to join them.

Loki did as his brother asked, taking hold of Ursa's hands. She sobbed into Thor's chest and they stayed like that for a long time. Eventually they did move to sit on the bed, using light magic to repair the sheets.

"I will miss you both more than anything." She held both of the boys' hands in her own. "I have always looked forward to the months I spend here. If I could forever live here, I would do so in a heartbeat." She squeezed their hands.

"We know, Ursa." Thor said. "And we would have you if we could." He smiled. "And why is it that we've know you for so long and never knew that your full name is Ursula?"

Ursa let go of his hand smacked his shoulder, but he had made her smile. And for the next few hours, the three of them joked and played small games in that room. They never did get to fixing anything.

Frigga came in later, taking in the state of the room without any surprise on her face and telling the three of them to go to bed. Ursa looked at her bed when Thor and Loki left and made a decision.

Loki was once again on the brink of falling asleep when he felt something move next to him. Instead of panicking this time, he reached out and found another hand. He pulled Ursa across his silk sheets and wrapped his arms around her.

"I did not want to be alone." She whispered, snuggling into Loki's chest.

"I do not mind." He said into her hair.

They stayed like that, wrapped around one another, until morning came and the sun rose into the sky. Ursa awoke before her friend and smiled gently at his sleeping form. He looked so peaceful, lying there with his hair rumpled and clinging to his forehead. Ursa stroked his cheek once before disappearing back into her own room. Loki stirred at her touch and was disappointed to wake up alone, but knew that if anyone saw them, it would not be pleasant.

Breakfast was eaten quickly by the children who were eager to see their friends. Alethea skipped breakfast along with Frigga. They sat in bed together, eating from a tray brought to them.

Ursa did not tell Sif that she would not return, but instead sparred with her once more. There was no winner, but it again made great entertainment for the boys. Loki wanted to speak with Ursa alone, but he could not take her away from her friends for his own sdesires. Instead, he enjoyed the look on her face each time Thor or Volstagg told a joke. He memorized the way her lips curled, her teeth shined and her eyes squinted as she laughed. Warmth rolled off of her and seemed to fill up his soul each time she came close to him.

Loki did not know how he would live without this girl here to remind him that he was not just the younger brother of Thor, that he had another purpose other than supporting the future king. Each day he spent without her was just another day of Thor's shadows casting over him. Each trick he played and lie he told would simply remind him of her once she was gone. Perhaps Thor's snap decisions would work for this situation. They could go to Olympus and convince the mighty God to release Ursa, challenge him if they had to.

But he thought of Alethea, how determined she looked- no, not determined, scared. Fear was in her eyes as Ursa protested. Not of her daughter, but of something else. Whatever that other thing may be, he did not want to dabble in it when it frightened even Alethea.

Heimdall stood completely still with his great sword placed directly in front of his body. His orange eyes remained emotionless as the princes approached with their two friends at their side. He knew them well and worried for them. For when they left to return home, he could not see them. There was a time when he could watch over Olympus as he did all things, but something now shrouded the world from his sight. He was allowed to see their world only when it was time for the Goddess and her daughter to enter Asgard and return home. But other than that, he was blocked from Olympus completely.

Alethea looked at the Gate-Keeper. "Heimdall, it is time for us to leave." She said.

Heimdall nodded and turned to enter the bifrost. Alethea followed, but Ursa remained standing between Loki and Thor on the bridge. She looked down at her feet and saw the colors change and shift beneath her.

"_What is this?" Ursa asked. It was her first time to visit Asgard. Alethea, Frigga and Odin stood over her. "It's colorful." She laughed._

"_It is called Rainbow Bridge, child." Odin told her. She looked up at the older man, slightly scared. _

"_Why do you have an eye patch?" She hid behind her mother's legs. _

_The three adults laughed._

"Ursa. It's time to go." Alethea's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked at her mother, expecting to see and angry face, but was met with a gentle expression. Ursa turned to her friends. It was only Thor and Loki- she did not want the others to know. Frigga and Odin had stayed behind, as requested by Alethea. Ursa held her hand out to Thor, smiling sadly, and the boy took it and pulled her into a tight hug. "You will always be welcome in our kingdom. You have become part of the family and will not be forgotten." He said into her ear, squeezing her. Ursa returned the tight hug, not wanting to let go of her teddy bear of a friend. When she finally did, she turned to Loki.

It took everything she had not to begin crying again. She could tell it was the same for him. How could they have wasted so much time? She knew from the start that he was important to her. How much, she did not know, but she wished she had. Ursa would miss his quiet behavior, his sweet words and uptight gentlemen manners. She would miss making him nervous and annoyed with her own trickery. She would miss those rare moments where he decided to let go and loosen his heart and seem to glow as he laughed joyfully. She would give anything and everything if she could only be with him and him only for just a while longer.

But Ursa could not have the prince. So, she did the next best thing.

She grabbed him by both shoulders and planted her lips on his. Loki recoiled back in shock at first, but quickly calmed and responded. Everything around them disappeared, no longer mattered. With each other they became balanced, complete. Loki felt warm tears spill and run down her cheeks and he reached up to wipe them away. They began to tell each other so much in those few seconds as they wrapped one another in each other's arms.

_I will miss you._

_Do not forget me._

_You mean everything to me._

_I will never be happy without you._

_I love you. _

Ursa released the boy and turned away quickly. She wanted that as her last memory of him. Alethea stood, unsurprised, by the bifrost. Ursa did not wait to be told and ran to her mother. Without a single look back, no matter how hard it was not to turn around, the two disappeared.

Both brothers were silent as they returned to the palace. Loki stayed at the front of the gates of the palace, watching the bifrost shine brightly and unwind, giving the signal that she was gone. But the prince did not weep. He felt, deep in his gut, a feeling of reassurance, of hope.

He would see her again.

_Thank you for reading!_

_ Please review, I will be posting the next chapter as soon as I can._

_~SDG_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello readers! I would like to take a moment to thank you for reading this and sticking with me as I write this. It is greatly appreciated. And if you are wondering, I post song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter because that is the song that I listened to in order to get into the mood for writing this chapter._

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Marvel Universe, but Ursa belongs to me._

"_I must go on standing  
You can't break that which isn't yours  
I, oh, must go on standing  
I'm not my own, it's not my choice"_

_-Apres moi, Regina Spektor_

It had been six months. Six long, long months full of misery and boredom. Ursa spent her days inside a golden room that had been given to her by Zeus. The God would not take no for an answer, no matter how angry of a no that it was. She had yelled and screamed that she would rather live in a cave than be surrounded by shallow and selfish beings that sat upon a throne of gold and demanded more each day. Eventually Hermes came to her and told her that if were to take the room, she could shut the world out and pretend that no one existed.

And so that's what she did. For the first few weeks Alethea tried to get through to her, telling her that what she did was only for the best, but Ursa would have none of it.

"You should have told me from the beginning!" Ursa yelled through her door. Her mother sighed.

"I wanted to, but I did not want to spoil your time with your friends."

In a quick, swift motion, Ursa flung open her door. "So you left us all in the dark? You let us think that it was just another visit? You didn't think that maybe I would want to use every second I had left with them? That maybe, I wanted to be there more than I wanted to be here- where children are tortured because of their father and looks or simply because they can spin thread better than someone else?" Alethea stood silent. "You weren't thinking of me. You were thinking of yourself." Ursa spat once more before slamming her door shut.

The Goddess stood with fists clenched, trying to keep her strong demeanor up, but instead began to weep softly as she walked away. Ursa was right. Frigga was right. She should not have kept such a secret from them. She should have told Ursa from the beginning what was going on. She had never lied to her daughter, but she had kept the truth from her.

Ursa sat, sketching in one of her many books when she heard a knock on her window. It had been three weeks since she had last spoken to anyone. She sighed before setting down her book and going to the clear glass. Outside, Hermes hovered and motioned for her to open her window. Ursa simply stared at him, giving him a look that said _"Are you serious?"_

"Come now, Ursa." Hermes shouted, grinning. "You trust me, don't you?"

Ursa bit her lip. He was the only one who was able to keep her sane over the years, the only one who seemed even close to a friend in this place. She opened the window and stepped aside.

"Thank you." Hermes settled behind her bed. He turned to her. "My, you look awful darling."

Of course, the shallow God would think anyone looked awful compared to him. Granted, she had been under the sheets of her bed for days now, not bothering to come out for anything other than food. But Hermes took too much care of himself. His light brown hair shined brightly and his teeth glimmered. He purposely wore loose clothing that showed off the muscles he had. Ursa wondered why she had let him in.

"What do you want, Hermes?" Ursa crossed her arms. Hermes did the same, teasing her.

"Well, I came here to talk to you, but you don't seem to be in a talking mood." The older boy walked up to her, bending over slightly to look at her eyes.

"I'm simply doing what you suggested. I'm shutting out the entire world."

Hermes sneered. "That was only to get you to stop all of that racket. And now that you have, I've come here with a proposal." He cocked his head up, like a snobby child.

"What is it?" Ursa asked flatly. She wanted him out.

"You know of Aphrodite, yes?"

"I do." The shallowest of all Gods and Goddesses in Olympus.

"And you know how," Hermes paused for a moment, thinking of the right words. "Absolute her youth and beauty is?"

Ursa blinked slowly, her eyes rolling into the back of her head almost. "Yes."

"Then I must ask you, will you help me catch her attention? She seems to be obsessed with only mirrors and watching Ares." Hermes sneered.

Ursa thought for a moment before answering. Why would she help someone like him? Someone interested in only helping themselves and no one else? Well, it was either help him or remain in isolation for what would be a very long eternity.

"What would you have me do?" She finally said.

Hermes smiled and bounced a bit. "Simple. Speak to her greatness. Tell her of my glory and how mighty I am." He flexed his small muscles at the last part.

Ursa stifled a laugh. "Very well. But only if you promise me a favor."

Hermes' eyes narrowed. "What sort of favor?"

"I shall tell you once I have done this for you. Now leave so I may ready myself for her highness." Ursa rolled her eyes once more after the herald of the gods had left. How was she supposed to make such a naïve and arrogant thief seem glorious? But then she thought of who she was about to speak to and found that they were the same. This was so hard task, but it wasn't going to be fun either.

Aphrodite stood on one of the many balconies on the side of the Olympian palace. She opened her mouth and felt the warm air blow lightly through her golden hair and across her pink skin. Ursa peaked out the doors and looked at the Goddess. She was indeed the most beautiful of all women, Zeus had been right when he discovered her. No wonder Hermes wanted her for himself.

Ursa slipped through the doors and stood next to the Goddess of Love on the balcony. She did not seem to notice her presence, so she cleared her throat, startling Aphrodite. Two sapphire blue eyes turned to look at her first as daggers then as a gentle glance before returning to the sky.

"It is surprising to see you here. What brings you, child of Alethea?" Aphrodite had no interest in a girl such as her. She posed no threat or opportunity.

"I am here on behalf of Hermes." Ursa spoke confidently. She would not be intimidated by this girl who claimed to know all things about love.

"Oh, the messenger boy? What has he to say?" Aphrodite laughed at both the joy she found in attention and the fact that she was again being chased.

"He finds you," Ursa swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "to be the most divine being there is and he shall have no one if can not have you." She shuddered inside.

"How quaint." Love's Goddess turned to Truth's daughter. "Tell him that he may have me. I am his." Aphrodite smiled deviously. Ursa's jaw fell. "What? Run along, and give him a kiss for me."

"I didn't think it possible." She said after a moment. "You have the kindest husband in all of Olympus who treats you so wonderfully and provides you with the finest jewels he can make." Aphrodite stepped back, shocked. "And yet you not only advertise yourself and allow boys to think you are available, but you encourage them when they come near and chase those who do not have any interest in you." Ursa shook her head. "Your message will be delivered, but know that it will not be with pleasure."

The young brunette turned on her heel and left the beauty shocked. She had never had anyone speak to her in such a way. And she did not plan on being spoken to like that again.

Ursa sat by her window, waiting for Hermes. He had said he would return to find out what his beloved girl had to say to his offer.

After the moon had risen, Hermes flew into her window and looked at her expectantly. He looked like a little boy who was surrounded by gifts.

"She is yours. You may have her." Ursa's hand clenched so tightly, she felt her skin ready to break beneath her nails.

"Oh really?" Hermes crossed his arms. "Well, that is wonderful. But, you may tell her I have no interest in her." The herald shrugged. Ursa's eyes went wide.

"You mean to tell me that I spoke to that pathetic excuse for a Goddess just to have you turn the other way and lose interest?" Ursa stood from her spot on her bed. "I don't understand anyone here! You are all so selfish and shallow that you do not see the kindness in others, nor do you show anyone your own!" She stabbed a finger at him. "All of you believe that if you have gold and jewels, you will be happy and with your power you may have anyone you want. That you will be served because you being alive is just so wonderful, why wouldn't people worship you greatness!" She exaggerated the last part and laced her voice with as much sarcasm as she could muster. "And my mother wonders why I would rather live in Asgard than this place." Ursa sighed.

"Are you finished?" Hermes asked after a moment of silence. He smiled at her surprised expression. "I sent you out today because you needed it. Keeping oneself cooped up is not good for the well being of anyone, even a Goddess." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "So I took it upon myself to get you back into the world. And it seemed to work." He smirked.

"So all those things you said earlier?"

"Were not true, dear. I have no desire to be with Aphrodite as long as her husband is around." The boy bit his lip. "I shall wait for her." Ursa rolled her eyes.

"Well, it is good to know that there is someone here who does not steal someone's most precious thing from them."

"Oh, no, darling. I have stolen many things. The first thing," Hermes waved a finger as he sat in one of the chairs Ursa used when reading. "was fifty cows from Apollo." He patted the cushioned chair next to his. Ursa bit her lip. She had not spoken to anyone for weeks and she would be lying if she said that she did not crave the company of another. But she had hated each person here since she had come back from Asgard, wishing for the company of Loki or Thor or Sif or even Hogun. But she would never see them again.

Ursa sat and crossed her legs, settling into the chair. "Tell me more." She rested her chin on her hands.

Across the stars, the royal family of Asgard ate in silence the night their two friends had left. Even Thor did not have much of an appetite. Frigga was absent, sitting in her room. She had lost the person she had come to love as a sister. Her best friend. Even Odin did not know her the way Alethea had. Often, they would talk so often, they began to talk together, saying exactly the same thing. They would stop and laugh at each other, but loved how in synch they were. And now that was gone forever.

Odin left his two sons to eat alone, comforting Frigga as she mourned. Thor and Loki ate silently, the only sounds being their chewing and their utensils scraping against their plates. Thor wanted to say something to his young brother, but could not come up with anything. He was afraid that if made a comment on what had happened, it would upset Loki. He decided to wait.

Weeks went by, and the two brothers did not speak. Odin trained with Thor when he was not busy with his other duties. He taught him about the hammer he had given Thor, what a king should do and what a king should not do.

"A king must see those that he rules as equals. He must not think himself above them. He must respect them as they respect their ruler." Odin explained one day as it snowed outside. They had gone outside despite the cold and Odin had his son lift heavy weights such as boulders and tree trunks. Thor did not mind, he rather enjoyed the hard labor given to him. It made him feel strong and powerful. Like he could take an entire boulder and crush it in his fist.

"But a king holds the crown, the power." Thor argued. "Should he not be treated as not only a king, but a God bathed in gold? To be feared by all who dare challenge him?"

"You think only of the wealth of the throne." Odin scolded. "The glory of battles and wars won with violence and bloodshed. This is not a path any king should descend upon. Especially one of Asgard." He took one boulder in his hand and tossed it lightly to the young prince, who caught it in both arms and placed it on the snowy ground. Odin sighed. "If you are to ever rule, you must not think as a warrior, but as a wise man." He turned towards the palace. "And a wise man takes good care of his brother." The All-Father said before making his way back to his home.

Thor hung his head at his father's words. He had neglected his younger brother, running from him when the boy needed him. Thor lifted a boulder and smashed it to the ground, but only managed to crack it. He was not fit to be king of Asgard. No one as weak as him could ever rule this realm. He was a selfish coward who only cared for himself.

The eldest prince looked down at his hands, seeing the dirt that stuck to them. His skin was rugged and wet with sweat. Even as he stood in the middle of the snow, he felt over heated. This could not be done by any weak man, he realized. No one but him was outside at this moment. He was strong, strong enough to fight an entire army if they came right now. He was not weak.

Thor lifted the boulder once more and threw it with so much force that it shattered as it hit the ground. He grinned, now sure he could handle anything. He turned and saw that his brother's light was still shining through his window. Time to stop running away.

Loki's mind was wrapped completely around the book he had in his hands as he sat by the fire place in his room. A book of magic, it was. There were pictures of men and wolves and words explaining how these creatures of the moon were not born, but created. Loki found this interesting, worth attempting, but it did not bring him any joy as he thought it would.

Ever since Ursa left, Loki had been trying to distract himself. First with tricks he played on others, such as making a farmer's cows invisible for an entire week, but it did not work. So he turned to his books, teaching himself new spells and learning every recipe for every potion there was. He so wanted to read more of astrology, to find a way to Olympus without the help of the bifrost, which had been blocked from the kingdom where Zeus ruled. But Loki knew that if he were to go there, he would most likely be slaughtered by the enemies of Odin.

Loki was so immersed in the book he was reading that when there was a loud bang on his door, he nearly dropped his book in surprise. Quickly, he hid the book and went to see who was knocking at his door. As soon as he opened it, he wanted to close it.

Thor stood, sweaty and stinking and grinning in the hallway. "Loki," Thor greeted. "I need to speak with you. May I come in?"

The raven haired boy glared at his brother before nodding and stepping to the side. Thor's large feet clunked as he walked over to sit in one of Loki's chairs, resting his head on the beck of it.

"What is it that you have to say, Thor?" Loki asked impatiently. He wanted to be alone, left in peace so that he may study. Right now his mind wondered, undistracted by any books or spells, to the pain he had tried so hard to bury.

Thor leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I have been running from you, Loki. And as your older brother, I should have helped you sooner. I should have been here the whole entire time, but I was not." Loki's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What?"

"You have been grieving alone when you should not be. You have not had anyone to speak to about the pain what you have been experiencing and the fault is mine, brother." Thor stood and placed his hands on Loki's shoulders. "But I am here now and I want to help in any way I can."

Loki beamed his brother. Never had he shown any concern for his brother other than when they went into battle together. Even then, Thor often left him to fend for himself. But never had he come to him in this way, asking him to speak his mind and share a heavy burden he had been carrying. Always he had been jealous of Thor for his strength and relationship with their father, but now he had yet another reason. Thor could open his heart easily, let pain come and go and be unaffected, willing to take on others' pain as well. Loki did not share this quality, but he appreciated that his brother had come to him with it.

"She's really gone." Loki breathed. "We're never going to see her again, are we?"

Thor bowed his head. "I miss her as well."

Neither brother wept, they would never allow themselves to do so, but words of pain and sorrow were spoken all throughout the night. And the next morning, when both princes came to breakfast the next day, talking and making jokes with one another, Odin knew who he would crown as king when his son was old enough.

Ursa spent more and more time with Hermes, exploring all of Olympus and its wonders she had never seen before. Often, she thought of Asgard and the royal family and Loki. She missed him terribly, even as Hermes tried to distract her with tricks and secrets he had learned about the others who lived with them, she dreamed of her green and black covered love each night. Every moment they spent together laughing, playing or simply lying in the grass next to each other under either the sun or moon.

"Hermes," She started one day when they had gone out across the ocean. "Do you know of any passages across the realms?"

Hermes stopped what he was doing and looked at her suspiciously. "Why do you ask?" He eyed her carefully.

"Do not worry, I have no plans to run away. I can not leave my mother." Ursa looked away. "I only want to know that there is a way to see my home again."

"Ursa, this is your home." Hermes took her hand.

"No, it's my mother's home. Not mine." She turned to face her one friend in Olympus. "Please, I only want to know."

The herald of the Gods sighed. "I know a way."

Alethea sat, her eyes flat and expression unreadable in the light of the bright sun. It was never cloudy or rainy in Olympus, Zeus would not allow it. Sometimes they even went weeks without the moon coming out because their king did not want there to be darkness over his land. Alethea did not care though, she only wanted her daughter to speak to her again. She felt the sand near her shift slightly and she turned to see Aphrodite standing, glaring at the ocean.

The blond Goddess had a curse for Ursa. "We shall see how an eternity under water suits you." Aphrodite closed her eyes and began to chant in her head. But her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw the mother of her victim standing behind her. _Perfect_, she thought,_ a bonus._

"A beautiful day as always." The Goddess of Love said. "I'm sure Zeus would want to please his pet." Her tone became sharp and Alethea's eyes narrowed "That's right, I know your secrets. I know everything there is to know about love, may it been in the past or if it is going to happen, I will know. And you, my dear, have loved our mighty Zeus before." The blond smirked. "But your child has upset the wrong person. She should not be here." Aphrodite sneered. "I would toss her from this place, but Zeus would have my head. So perhaps a curse will have to do." Then she smirked. "And you won't say anything, for if you do I will tell Hera of your affair with our king. And I'm sure you don't want that."

The beautiful girl began to walk away, thinking she had won, when suddenly her entire body froze. She could not breathe, she could not even move here eyes to look around.

"You may be able to see love that has happened in the past, but you fail to see the love in the present." Alethea's voice came from behind her, coming closer. "I love my daughter more than anything, and I will do anything to keep her safe." The Goddess came to face Aphrodite. "I am the Goddess of Truth, you naïve wench. I breathe truth, control truth. And truth is everything, surrounding us on all sides. Truth lies in every grain of sand on every beach on every planet that exists. I see what is inside, and can bring it out in any way I wish." The blond Goddess was forced to the ground on all fours, Alethea stood above her and spoke with venom in her words. "You are covered with lies and hate. The truth inside is ugly and disgusting." Aphrodite's hands began to wrinkle, losing their youthful pink and her nails yellowed. "Do not threaten my child again, you pathetic weasel."

With that, the Goddess of Truth disappeared. Aphrodite looked down at herself and saw that she had the body of an old hag. Wrinkles and warts covered her skin, her once golden hair was now a pasty grey. She screamed.

Ursa sat at her window sill that night, looking up at the stars. Hermes had told her of a way to return to Asgard by following one thing. Jupiter. He pointed to it just a few hours before, explaining that some believed Jupiter to be the same as Zeus.

"They call me Mercury." Hermes laughed. "But you won't get to Asgard by following me. Just as long as you have Jupiter directly ahead of you, you'll make it there."

"Thank you." Ursa touched his arm. "I won't be going there anytime soon, but it is good to know that there is a way there." She smiled at him.

"Why are you so fond of Asgard?" He asked.

Ursa wrapped her arms around her knees and looked up at the sky. "I'm not quite sure. The land is so full of life and the people are so kind, I made more happy memories there than I ever did here." Ursa shrugged.

Hermes left shortly after that, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts. She spent the rest of the night looking up at the stars, wondering if Loki knew about the passages between realms, and if he was looking at the stars as well.

_Waah! Three chapters! Let's keep this up, shall we? _

_Reviews are wonderful things every author wants to receive, and each reader who does so is a wonderful person that I want to hug. _

_~SDG_


	4. Chapter 4

"_Pick a star on the dark horizon_

_And follow the light._

_You'll come back when it's over._

_No need to say goodbye."_

_-The call, Regina Spektor _

A year went by, and the three children grew. Ursa had begun to speak to her mother once again, realizing that shunning her was ridiculous. Aphrodite had gone back to Cythera and soaked herself day and night in the ocean from which she had come from. It took weeks for her youth to return to her, but soon her skin started to smooth out, her hair shining once more and her nails clearing. Her husband, Hephaestus, wanted her to come home, but she continued her stay, wanting to rid her self of the ugliness she had been cursed with completely.

Ursa sat under the stars with her mother one night in the middle of a grassy field. She pointed out each star she knew the name of, explaining to her mother what Hermes had taught her. Alethea knew all of this already, she knew more than anyone about the stars and planets in the sky. But she enjoyed listening to her daughter's voice speak gently and happily instead of bitterly.

"Hermes told me that if I wanted to send anything to anyone in Asgard, he would deliver it for me." Ursa told Alethea, blurting out the words before she could stop herself. She had not been sure if she should tell her that or not.

Alethea did not react in the way that Ursa thought she would. "Have you sent them anything?" She asked calmly.

"No, I have not." Ursa hung her head. "I feel that if I do, it will only hurt them and myself. I don't want to do that."

They sat in silence for a while until Alethea reached over and stroked Ursa's hair. "Darling, I know it pains you to not be with him. I know he feels the same. It would be healthy of you to send him something."

Ursa shook her head in confusion. "Weren't you the one who took me from him? Why would you encourage me to keep in touch?"

"Because even though I must obey the orders of Zeus, I want you to be as happy as possible. And if that means bending the rules slightly, then I will allow it." Her mother laid back on the grass. "Do not send Hermes though, Heimdall would never let him pass. Take a dove and use a charm and send it to Loki."

"Thank you, mother." Ursa hugged her mother where she lay and laid beside her. The two spent the rest of the night staring at the stars. Alethea could not be happier.

Loki sat in his room cross legged in front of a selection of ingredients and candles. He had everything he needed. It had been a year since she had left. A year of reading and experiments and training with his brother and father. They had grown closer, but Loki still remained unnoticed by his father. He had tried to do the same deeds his brother did, but wound up only humiliating himself. So he turned to his sorcery. Perhaps, if he could not impress others with his strength, he could impress them with other gifts.

And now was the time to really test his abilities. He was going to create a child of the moon. Half wolf, half human. A soldier for his father or a pet for he and Thor. Getting the ingredients had not been difficult-they were surprisingly simple. The blood of man and wolf, a small amount of each. A few special plants found in the forests of Asgard and a full moon. That was all he needed.

Loki held the book in his hands, shaking slightly at what he was about to do. If he succeeded in this, he would prove to his father that he was just as powerful as his brother and was not to be ignored. The prince breathed through his nose and began to recite the spell. It only took a moment after he had finished for it all to work. A flash of light, a puff of smoke and then darkness. Loki froze, waiting. He heard a quiet sniffle and with his magic, he restarted the fire that had been put out.

There, in front of his fire place, was a wolf. Loki smiled and went to the animal, it was much less fearsome than any creature he had faced, and began scratching behind its ear. The wolf was not pleased, he growled and snapped his jaws at the prince's hand. Loki laughed.

"Perhaps we will find some sort of use for you." The prince cocked his head to the side in thought. "I shall name you Fenris." He turned to leave and get his father, but he stopped and turned back around. Ever so slowly, the animal was growing. It quickened as he became larger and within minutes he was just as big as his creator. Loki gulped. What had he done?

The beast howled and smashed through his glass window and jumped out into the palace's gardens. Loki acted quickly, jumping after the wolf and running in its direction. He could not let it go far, for if it attacked anyone Odin would be absolutely furious.

Loki stopped when he heard a loud crash and felt the ground shake. In the distance he could see trees fall and hear shouting. Fenris had found someone. The dark haired prince sprinted for all he was worth towards the beast he had created and within minutes he found it standing over a servant of the palace. The young boy cowered away from the giant wolf above him, tears streaming down his face.

Fenris growled and made a move to snap at the boy but before he could, something sharp sliced across his nose. Loki stood frozen with fear as Fenris turned to look at him, his yellow eyes full of rage. But even as angry as the beast was, he did not attack his creator. Loki held out a hand, as if reaching out to pet the wolf. "Sit." It sounded like a question rather than a command.

Fenris growled and huffed, but did as he was told. "Stay." Loki was full of shock. His plans had not turned out the way he wanted them to, but he now saw a chance to repair what had been broken. He turned to the crying servant. "Leave now." He told him.

The boy nodded and ran off. Loki let a breath and turned to Fenris. He had stopped growing, but he was still massive. His head reached above the trees around them, his paws as big as Thor. _But he is still just an oversized dog_, Loki thought.

Before the prince could make another move though, he heard two loud thuds and a voice shout, "Loki! What is the meaning of this?"

Loki turned around to face Odin and Thor. "Father," He licked his lips, willing his tongue to act on its own and form words that would get him the hell out of this. "I found this monstrous beast here attacking a servant. I have managed to hold him back, but I could use your aid."

Odin stared at his son through his one eye and looked at the wolf and back to Loki. He stuck out his hand and summoned a red ribbon. "A child of the moon." He whipped the long ribbon out around the wolf's neck. "Believed to be extinct. I must thank the gnomes for providing me with this for times such as these." The wolf growled and yanked away from Odin's grip to no avail. Instead he began to shrink, his fur falling out and nose flattening. Soon there was no wolf but a man lying before the three royals.

"Do you have a name, beast?" Odin held the ribbon tightly. Fenris opened his mouth to answer, noises coming out as he struggled to speak. He did not know any english, or any other language for that matter, but this man wanted him to talk, 'name' he had said. He knew that.

"ffffff" He mashed his teeth together. "en" His lips curled as he struggled to speak. "risss." He finally got out.

"Fenris." Odin repeated cooly. "You have committed a crime against Asgard and its people." His tone softened. "Seeing as you are uneducated and in need of care, I shall send you to live among the mortals. You will be unable to harm anyone." Odin let go of the leash and it disintegrated, only a red band around Fenris's neck remained. "I understand that you are immortal like us, like the rest of your kind." Fenris tried to rip the collar from his neck to no avail. "You must learn to control yourself. Now come," The All-Father waved his staff and Fenris felt something pull him, make him walk with the King. "we must get you to the bifrost."

Loki sighed, relieved. Thor looked at him confused. "What was that about?"

The younger brother opened his mouth to answer but Odin interrupted him. "I shall deal with you later, Loki." He called over his shoulder before disappearing from view with Fenris. Loki hung his head and looked at Thor who was frowning.

Before the older prince could speak, Loki took off running. Not to the palace, but deeper into the Asgardian forest. Thor followed, but soon lost track of his brother as he was using a weak cloaking spell. But he persisted and soon found Loki standing before a lake, his entire body stiff.

"I did not mean for him to get out." Loki said, hurt in his voice. "He was supposed to be a gift, a pet or tool for father to use." He plopped down on the ground below him.

"A mistake is something every man must make to become wise." Thor said after a moment of silence. "Father is a wise and reasonable man, brother. Whatever you have done, he will forgive it."

"Ah, but you don't know what I have done." Loki smiled sadly as he turned to face Thor. "Dark Magic is forbidden, even to those as powerful as you and I." His face contorted with anger and he turned back to the lake. "I should have known better." He pulled up a bit of grass from the ground and ripped it.

"Things will be alright, brother." The older prince came and sat down next to Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's been a year." Loki ripped more grass, his hands shaking.

"First of many."

They sat silent for a very long time, Thor staring up at the moon and stars, Loki ripping the green from brown and digging when there was no more to pull up. Odin came and found the two boys the next morning on their backs and sleeping. Thor snoring loudly, explaining why there were no small animals nearby, Loki sleeping silently.

He did not punish his son, but he sent him to work with masters of magic. Obviously, when he passed all tests before, he had yet to learn what he needed to. A different teacher was needed, in his opinion. Someone who knew the dangers of dark magic and could not be swayed by Loki's silver tongue.

And so he sought the help of an older man, a Sir Hugo who studied all aspects of magic and had many adventures in his youth. A man who had helped Odin in his extermination of the children of the moon, and a man who could handle children.

Loki did not appreciate the old man at first. He simply sat and seemed to only have staring contests with him. His eyes were an icy blue, his head bald on top and white hair stuck out at the sides and led to a great white beard. He lived in a library, every surface covered with books of every subject. Loki was itching to read every word in every one of them, but the old man refused to let him even pick up a book.

"You must learn to respect books, honor the words in them and allow them to teach and guide you." Sir Hugo told the young prince. "You only seek to feed your ego and bury your envy."

"I have no envy." Loki argued.

"Oh, but you do." The old man laughed. "You are the youngest, the outcast. You have no candle to hold to your brother who is favored by all who live in Asgard." Loki's cheeks flushed red with anger.

"He is not favored by all!" Loki yelled, green sparks flying out from his hands as he waved them in his outburst. Before the flames they had caused could spread, Sir Hugo waved his hand gently and they disappeared completely.

"No, there's one who thinks more of you the him." The white bearded man sat back in his chair and stared at Loki. "A girl." He waggled his eyebrows and Loki's raised in shock. "But she is far away, not to be seen again and you grieve the loss of her." The old man's eyebrows furrowed together. "Am I getting all this right?"

The prince looked down at his feet. "Yes."

"Do not be ashamed of loving another." Sir Hugo scolded, standing from his chair. "This is important, it is what causes you to create things that are _forbidden._" He exaggerated the last word as he leaned down to meet Loki eye-to-eye. The man's eyes were wide as they stared into Loki's, who was blushing a deep red. "Now, come. You have quite a bit of work ahead of you." The old man straitened himself and gestured for the young boy to follow.

For the next six months Loki worked harder than he had in his entire life. Lifting heavy loads of books, sorting them, doing housework for the old man who sat and drank tea and read. At first, Loki was absolutely infuriated, demanding he not be treated in such a way for he was a prince. Sir Hugo simply laughed.

"Not in this library, you aren't. I am the master of all magic, those amateurs who taught you know nothing. In this library, you are a student who has broken the rules of my craft and shall pay the consequences of doing so. And that little outburst will cost you tea." He smiled and turned back to his book.

The prince was not allowed to use any magic while he was in the large building. He had to do everything on his very own. This was extremely difficult for the prince who used magic for nearly every single thing he did in life. _Thor would have no trouble with this, _Loki thought, _He does not use magic like I do. _The young prince shook the thoughts from his head. He should not concentrate on his brother right now. The time he spent here was to not only prove to his father that he could rise above his mistakes, but to strengthen himself as well.

Loki only came to this realization after many weeks of hard labor and arguments with Hugo. He noticed himself growing stronger and smarter with each load books he carried and read. When he worked with books deep in the library, away from Sir Hugo, he allowed himself to read for just a few minutes. Minutes turned into hours and soon the old man came bounding down the halls and snatched the book from Loki's hands.

"Do you know what this is?" He held the book out. "This is a book of dark magic. The very thing that got you here. Have you no brain, boy?" He did not shout, but his tone was sharp. "You cannot learn what the importance of this craft is if you keep delving into the forbidden arts. You must know what it is like to live without magic." The old man shook his head and slipped the book into his coat.

From then on, Loki was not left alone as he worked. Everywhere he turned, Hugo was there sipping his tea and smiling at Loki with crooked teeth. The prince would sigh and continue, closely followed by the old man.

He did not see Thor, Odin or even Frigga in the time he spent in that great library. As the months went by, he began to have conversations with Hugo, whom he found to be not at all like the mean old bat he had initially thought he was. He discovered that he was as mad as any old man and smarter than anyone he had ever met. He had an answer to everything and often swung his cane around when they breached a subject he found infuriating, such as women.

"They're all crazy, crazy, crazy. Loki." Hugo grabbed the prince's shoulder. "Don't ever get involved with women." His whole body shook, as if he was trying to shake of a bug. "You'll regret it." Loki smiled, his mind going to Ursa.

"Alright, sir." He had tried to call him 'Old man' before, but was whacked over the head. But later that night, Loki found Hugo at his desk without any tea or a book to read. Instead, he found him holding a small painting of a woman. She was absolutely beautiful, and Hugo seemed to be holding back tears as he stared at the picture.

Loki set down his stack of books on the desk. "Here are the books, sir." Loki spoke, snapping Hugo out of his trance.

"Oh, yes, um, thank you." Hugo hid the picture quickly and turned to Loki. "You may retire for the night now. Norns know that I need to." He smiled, but Loki could see it was forced.

Without thinking, he blurted, "Who was that?" When Hugo shot him a look of confusion, he continued. "That woman in the painting."

Hugo did not move, debating whether or not he should tell him or not. Finally, he sighed and pulled out the picture. "My wife." He said sadly. "Minerva." He handed the picture to Loki, who stared at it with wide eyes. "I miss her a great deal."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said." Hugo held up his hand. "But Minerva was not like other women." He smiled as he looked at the painting. "You'll learn one day. Now go to sleep." The old man took the picture and left.

Loki went to his own room but did not sleep. Instead, he looked up at the stars. He had read only one book over astrology, so he could not name all the constellations or planets, but that did not matter as he saw something fly to his window and land right on his bed. A dove.

But not only that, a dove with an envelope in its beak. He quickly took the letter and opened it. What he saw made him smile.

_I miss you every day and night._

_-Ursa_

_Alright, here's the fourth chapter, thanks for reading! I love all of you and can't wait to get the next one done. _

_~SDG_


	5. Chapter 5

"_Frame by frame..._

_Red speed ahead._

_A city dissolving, the thread of your love in the headlights._

_Is it safe now...will your arms be open?_

_I just have to kiss you_

_Try and stop me."_

_-Closing In, Imogen Heap_

Sir Hugo watched for centuries as Loki grew from a small boy who carried books and played with magic to a grown man who could make any element of his choosing do what he wanted with the wave of a hand. Hugo was impressed, but his father seemed not to be. The two elder men had been friends at one point, and still were, but it was a distant relationship. They only came to one another when in need of help. And when you are the God of an entire realm or the Master of all magic, you tend not to need any help from anyone.

But Odin had come to Hugo when he had no clue in the world what to do with his 'son'. Hugo knew the truth, he had placed the disguising spell upon the baby himself. It was instinct that Loki transformed at Odin's touch, but when no longer in contact his skin would become blue once more. They could not have that, no one could ever know that a Prince of Asgard was from Jotunheim. And so, in order to help his old friend, Hugo placed a spell over the child.

It was hard for the old man to watch Loki struggle for years as he tried to impress his king with his gifts of magic. Hugo thought the boy to be a prodigy of the craft, but Odin never seemed to notice. Hugo knew that strength and glory was important to everyone in Asgard, but he also knew that Loki was much more powerful than Thor. Odin knew it too but refused to acknowledge it.

"He will make a fine king." Hugo told Odin one day as they played chess in the palace gardens.

"Not of this realm." The king replied as he moved a pawn.

"Do you intend to make him king of another realm?" Hugo moved his knight and placed his pipe back into his mouth.

"I have a plan." A rook was taken from the sorcerer.

"And what is this plan, All-Father?" Smoke drifted from his mouth and he moved his own silver queen.

"You shall see when the time is right." He moved his king.

"I hope you know what you are doing." Sucking on his pipe, he moved his rook. "Checkmate."

The king sighed.

To Altethea's and Ursa's great pleasure, Aphrodite had stayed in Cythera, making a comfortable life for herself there. Mortals came and admired her each day, but over the years the number of visitors dwindled and soon no one came to her. But Aphrodite stayed, enjoying her watery home. Her husband did not approve, but he accepted his wife's wishes.

Ursa had sent Loki many letters over the years, exchanging little information but learning so much. They were both growing, living their lives. But it hardly felt like living. They were immortal, so they had all the time in the universe, but it all went by so slowly. She had read every book that she could get her hands on, learned every language there was and could outsmart any God in Olympus. Zeus seemed extremely pleased with her, smiling at her every word and granting her every wish. But she was not spoiled, though she could be. Alethea showed discipline when necessary, but she too admired her daughter's intelligence and skill.

It had been months since she had received a letter from Loki when Hermes came into her room, panting. "That Gate keeper is even scarier than Cerberus when I first saw him." He stuffed a piece of paper into her hand and quickly flew back outside. "But he told me to give you that." He called behind him. Confused, Ursa smoothed out the crinkled paper and read the words written in gold.

Her eyes widened. A new king of Asgard was to be crowned. Who, it did not say, but it made it clear that the event was only days away with a celebration the night before. Tears pricked at her eyes as she realized she would not be able to see her friend on what would be the most important day of his life.

But then an idea popped into her head and she smiled.

"I wish to travel through the stars and learn more of the universe we live in." Her voice was confident, her entire body strait as she stared at Zeus. She had not missed the fact that she and her uncle shared similar features. Brown hair, green eyes and pale skin. Alethea had brushed it off with- "We are family, it is only natural that we look alike."

The God looked to Alethea, who was beaming at her daughter with her eyebrow raised and a devious smile on her face. "Does she speak the truth, Alethea?" Zeus questioned.

The Goddess turned her gaze to Zeus and nodded, knowing that each word that left Ursa's lips right now were lies. But she was not about to tell him that.

"Then you may go." He stood. "I give you the gift of Artemis, may it protect you when danger arises." Ursa felt something wrap around her torso and she turned her head to see a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. She smiled. "And return soon, my dear. Your presence here is most wanted." With that, he sat and smiled at Ursa.

Her answering smile was blinding. "Thank you so much." And then she was off, not giving anyone a second glance as she ran and soon disappeared.

The party was, in every sense of the word, boring. Loki had abandoned his helmet after he had been introduced, easily forgotten in the shadow of his brother's own introduction. It was a celebration for his coronation, so it should not be surprising. But Loki found himself disappointed nonetheless. He leaned against a pillar, watching as Volstagg and Thor both gobbled down food from the table. He sighed.

Sir Hugo came up beside him, pipe in hand and stood quietly. After a moment of having smoke blown into his face, Loki spoke. "What brings you here?"

Hugo blew a bit of smoke out once more before answering. "Making sure you're not going to destroy the entire palace." He chuckled. "But mostly Frigga is keeping my friend busy so I must find some other form of entertainment."

"And you find me standing alone entertaining?" Loki quirked a brow.

"Not at all. I am simply waiting." He grinned.

"Waiting for what?" Loki's brows knitted together in confusion.

Hugo's grin widened and he began to walk away. "Waiting for what?" The prince called after him, but Hugo did not answer. And he was once again left alone.

He sighed deeply and went back to his leaning against the pillar. He again watched as people passed by with food and drinks in their hands, laughing and smiling at one another, congratulating Thor on his new achievement, obviously wanting to kiss his shoes before he had even been crowned. Soon, music began to play and people began to dance. Sif took hold of Thor's hand and led him to dance among others. The future king smiled sheepishly and placed a hand at her waist and the other in her hand.

The two were not fit in Loki's opinion. Sif acted out of loyalty for her kingdom and once thought of nothing but her beauty. Which is why he cut off her golden hair, just to get her to stop talking about her looks. Of course, he had to restore her hair but made the mistake of sneaking and stealing the gift before it was ready and making her hair the dark black that it was today. But she should be thanking him, for without that incident she would not be the warrior she is today.

As he thought this, a hand slid onto his shoulder lightly and pulled him out of his trance. He turned his head to look at the owner of the hand, but was quickly blinded by what looked like a cloth fan, instantly making the prince's blood boil. A giggle followed this action and Loki's irritation vanished. He knew that giggle anywhere.

Removing the fan, he looked upon her face. She had grown, her elfish features had become much more pronounced, but her emerald eyes remained as bright and sharp as they had been centuries before. Her lips spread into a smile and opened to say something but before one syllable could escape, the prince had wrapped his arms around her, his lips planted against hers. She responded immediately, moving her lips against his, but could not help the laugh that escaped her.

Loki kissed his way to her ear. "I'm so glad to see you." He breathed, sending goosebumps down Ursa's neck.

"I wouldn't dare miss this." She leaned away, her hands remained on his shoulders and she took in his new face. He had so much more squishy when they were younger. It amused her to pinch his cheeks and tease him. But the face he wore now was much more pleasing to look at, if she was being completely honest with herself. And nothing could ever change those stormy green eyes, not even the darkest of magic there was.

That was what she held onto all those years. The soft look he always had in his eyes, calm and peaceful when reading and amused when playing tricks or alone with her. She had carried that with her, saw it each night she dreamed and what she imagined when she looked up into the sky and saw Jupiter. Those eyes may have aged, but they were exactly as she remembered them.

Luckily, no one had seen their exchange in their hiding place behind the pillar. Ursa had no intention of dancing or making a scene of her return, so she began pulling Loki from the room. He followed without question, looking back and finding that only one person seemed to notice the two leaving. Hugo smiled with his pipe in his mouth at the prince.

"Do you not wish to congratulate my brother?" Loki asked once they had reached the gardens of the palace.

"I will once he has been crowned." Ursa sat on the fountain in front of the palace steps. "But until that happens, my dear friend will have to wait." She patted the seat beside her. "And even though I love him as he were my own brother, he has plenty who are treating him as a king right now. I think there is someone else who needs my attention." She quirked a brow at the man still standing.

"I need no pity from you." Loki crossed his arms. "If you came only to comfort me, then you may leave once more."

Ursa laughed. "You can not lie to me, Loki, may be the God of lying or not. I can see right through you." The girl stood, her golden dress shimmering in the light of the palace. "Being the daughter of Truth, your tricks and lies do not work on me. And I did not come here to comfort you." She closed the distance between them and placed her hands on her hips, craning her neck to look him in the eye but still standing her ground. "I came because I missed you."

Loki looked down at the girl before him and saw the young girl who had left centuries before. The girl who spoke what she felt, did as she pleased and who depended on no one. How she was able to speak such weak words and still be one of the strongest people he had ever met would always be a mystery to him. He leaned down, arms still crossed, and brushed his lips across hers.

"Your absence brought displeasure to me." He said, a smirk on his face.

Ursa's hands came up to his shoulders, ghosted up his neck and came to rest on either side of his face. "You could just say 'I missed you too.'"

Two strong arms came to wrap around her waist and lift her off her feet. "Now where's the fun in that?" And then she was falling, down into the fountain. Like a cat out of water, she jumped from the fountain and grabbed hold of Loki's chest, which shook with laughter, and threw him into the fountain, cracking the statue which stood in the center of it. The prince was only shocked for a moment before bursting into laughter once more, lying against the edge of the fountain.

Ursa rolled her eyes at him, but watched his face as he laughed. It was just like when she had worn his helmet, only this time he had to be an ass and get her dress wet. But that didn't really matter. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.

She sighed loudly. "My dress is completely soaked." He looked at her, a smile still plastered to his face. "I suppose I should search for another. But I can't stand to wear this any longer." And she then bent over to lift her dress and remove it. She heard a splash and smiled. Before the prince could reach her and stop her, she ripped the fabric from her body and straitened herself. She wore a thin under dress, so she did not stand before him completely naked as she did when they were little, but it was enough to get a very deep blush from the God as he instantly stopped, his eyes wide as he stared at her. But then he did something completely unexpected.

He smiled.

Now it was Ursa's turn to blush as her face fell and Loki walked towards her. She had expected him to panic and turn away. But he stared at her, his face no longer flushed but confident as he removed his coat and placed it on her shoulders. The girl breathed a shaky sigh of relief as her body was covered.

"I'm sure my mother won't mind if you were to borrow one of hers for the night." The prince draped a hand over her shoulders and led her back into the palace.

Once she had changed, insisting that she had her own clothes that she had left in Loki's room, they headed back to the party. She only showed herself to Frigga and Odin, who smiled and hugged her tightly. Tears poured from Frigga's eyes as she examined how much Ursa had grown. Odin was very pleased but then his face grew very serious.

"You are not supposed to be here." He said.

Ursa froze. "Zeus believes I am traveling among the stars and learning about the nine realms. He does not know that I am here." She reassured him, but the king shook his head.

"It is best if you return to him soon."

"I will do no such thing. He has kept me there long enough." Ursa grabbed Loki's hand and turned to leave. "I'm much happier here." And she dragged Loki out of the room once more.

Once far away from the party and into a quieter place of the palace, Ursa turned to Loki and crossed her arms. "Alright, what is it you're hiding?"

The prince was taken aback. "Whatever do you mean?" He asked innocently.

"It's written all over you. The way you looked at your parents, how you kept yourself all wrapped up."

"I look like that all the time." Loki rolled his eyes.

"I told you Loki, you can't lie to me." She placed her arms around his neck. "You can tell me, I can keep a secret."

"Oh yes, of course, why don't I just tell you every little secret of my existence? You don't always have to know everything, Ursa." Loki pushed her arms off and stepped away.

"You're planning something." Ursa's tone was surprised. For a moment, the prince thought she would panic and become angry, but the girl just smiled and shook with excitement. "And it's not good, oh no it isn't!" She laughed. "Oh please tell me, please!" She grabbed his arms and did poked out her bottom lip in what a midgardian would call a "puppy-dog face".

"No." Loki's voice was sharp and he stepped further away and avoided her gaze.

"It's got something to do with tomorrow." He looked up at her in shock, _how did she know that? _Ursa caught his expression.

"The more you lie, the more I see the truth. Again, I am the daughter of Truth and Purity. I can spot the truth a mile away. Now tell me, what are you up to?"

"You share the same powers as your mother?" That was interesting to him.

"A bit, I can see the truth and the lie very easily. My mother can control it, which is quite scary. The difference between us is that she can't tell a single lie when I can lie until my soul turns black." Ursa laughed. "That, and I can't turn beautiful, hateful women into complete hags. But, seeing the truth is pretty useful. Now quit changing the subject. Tell me what you are up to!" She wagged a finger at him, poking his nose as she stepped close to him.

Well, his silver tongue was no use now if she would figure it out on her own anyway. But if he told her, would she stop him, tell Odin? If she did then everything would be ruined.

"I promise not to tell a soul." She whispered into his ear. "And I keep my secrets and promises."

"Well, you see..."

_And she's back! Five chapters! Wow! I can't wait to write the rest of this, I have so much planned, it's not even funny! Well, maybe a little. _

_~SDG_


	6. Chapter 6

"_Oily marks appear on walls_

_Where pleasure moments hung before._

_The takeover, the sweeping insensitivity of this_

_still life._

_Hide and seek._

_Trains and sewing machines. Blood and tears,_

_They were here first."_

_-Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap_

"So, Odin sent you to stay with Sir Hugo?" Ursa asked, crossing her legs.

They sat on Loki's bed and had brought food from the party to his chambers. He had told her of his plans, which she had laughed at and understood his intentions.

"Yes, after the incident with Fenris." Loki answered her question and took a bite of his food.

"And he's the Master of all magic?" Ursa leaned against him, unconvinced of this bit of information. Loki nodded.

"I thought I knew everything, but as I spent more time with him, I discovered I had barely scratched the surface of the world of magic." The prince's eyes began to glaze over. "He taught me so much. Told me I am the greatest sorcerer he's ever seen. Well," Loki blinked and smiled at the girl who had her chin on his shoulder. "Second greatest. He claims to still be the Master."

"Perhaps he will show me a trick or two. I must learn something in my travels or Zeus will never let me out again." Ursa took the wine bottle they had and took a large gulp. "And I do need to keep you on your toes." She smiled and pressed her lips to his.

In Olympus, Alethea sat in the grassy field she and her daughter had spent so much time in for the past few centuries. She looked up at the stars and closed her eyes, willing her mind to calm. She was not worried about Ursa, no, but she could feel something, something bad, was about to happen.

She saw everything, felt everything and knew every single thing that happened. She knew that her daughter and Loki now sat together and enjoyed themselves, she knew that a man named Tony Stark was currently testing out a metal suit of sorts, she knew that the Frost Giants of Jotunheim were readying themselves to go to Asgard. She knew that Aphrodite had decided it was time to pay a visit to her home and show off her glorious beauty.

As long as Ursa was in Asgard, she was safe.

The Goddess stayed there all night and waited for morning to come, for Aphrodite to arrive. When she did, she was praised for her beauty, but quickly dismissed by all except her husband. They remembered her never ending rants about herself and did not wish to hear it. Eventually, word got around and Aphrodite discovered Zeus had allowed Ursa to travel on her own and do as she pleased.

The Goddess of Love flushed red in fury. How dare they treat her as if she were more than some accident of a love affair, Zeus's little pet here only to entertain? No, the woman who had cursed her and created this demon would be punished. All it took was a few words.

"And you're absolutely sure no one will be hurt?" Ursa asked Loki, holding his golden helmet in her arms, running her fingers along the shiny surface.

"Yes, for the tenth time, the Destroyer will get rid of them before they even make it to the door." Loki sighed and took his helmet from her. "Now go on and see to it that Volstagg does not gobble up all the food." He gave her a small push and the girl complied, leaving the room. But not before kicking the prince in the shin and running.

"Another!" A voice boomed behind him. Loki turned to see Thor smash a goblet into a pit of fire, making the flames burst momentarily. Loki sighed once more.

"My queen, I would never lie to you." Aphrodite smiled sweetly, her face conveying the complete opposite feeling of what Hera felt right now. Her stomach threatened to explode, her chest felt as if a million centaurs had trampled upon it. How could she not have seen this? She knew Zeus had married many young maidens and she knew of every affair he had, but to find out about one so late, it tore through her like a sword.

"Where. Is. She?" Hera spoke through gritted teeth. Aphrodite's smile turned devious.

"Save some for me!" Ursa pushed Volstagg aside and took a few sweet rolls for herself. With one stuffed into her mouth, she turned to see a shocked warrior, with Sif and Fandral gaping at her as well.

"Ursa?" Sif stepped forward, her open mouth turning into a smile as she recognized her. "Ursa!" She wrapped the girl up into a hug. Fandral straitened himself and came to hug her as well. Ursa struggled not to drop her sweet rolls as she was enveloped in two sets of arms. Luckily, Volstagg took them from her hands and placed them onto a plate for her. She smiled at him from between Sif and Fandral's heads and said a muffled 'Thank you' through her sweet roll.

Alethea sat on her window sill, a book in her hands, when Hera nearly tore her door off of its hinges. The Goddess did not look up, but she heard the air whoosh in and out of Hera's lungs through her nostrils. Closing her book softly, she took a deep breath in and turned to face Hera.

Ursa stood beside Sif, listening as the All-Father went on with his speech. She was proud of her friend, but even she knew that Thor was not ready for the crown. And it was not just Loki's letters about his brother's actions that convinced her. One look at him when she returned and she knew that he was still the young boy he was when she left. He had yet to think not like a warrior, but like a king, a wise man. Yes, even she was given the king lecture by Odin.

"Thor Odinson, my heir, my son," Ursa glanced over at Loki and saw his face tighten. _Do not worry_, She wanted to say to him, _He will not be crowned today. Asgard will be safe._

"You know why I am here." Hera said after a few moments of silence. She had calmed, but rage still remained in her eyes.

"Yes." Alethea blinked slowly.

"You know what I'm going to do then?" Hera's voice shook. She had been betrayed, lied to and humiliated. But today she would change that.

"Yes."

In Asgard, the All-Father had stopped speaking abruptly. Everyone stared, waiting for him to finish. He opened his mouth to speak, but another sound rang out through the room, blocking out any words he would have said.

The Goddess of Truth did not react as her dress and surroundings were set aflame. She simply stared at Hera as she walked out of the room, not a single feeling of accomplishment, or any kind of joy in her body.

Ursa screamed.

She clutched her chest and struggled for air. Hot, she felt hot, her skin was melting! Every head in the throne room turned to look at Ursa as she cried out in pain. Down below their feet, three frost giants were killed before they could take two steps with the precious casket. But she did not care for that.

She was in Olympus, watching as the golden room around her burned down into ash. No, no, no! This wasn't happening. Ursa squeezed her eyes shut, falling to her knees as she clawed at her surroundings. She could hear Sif's voice calling out to her. Yes, it was Sif. She was here. In Asgard. Then, the heat became so searing that it was burning her very bones, and everything faded.

Loki caught Ursa in his arms and held her close, his face a mess of shock and anger. If someone had done something to her, if they had hurt her, he would find them and...and...

But he had no time to finish that thought. Odin was calling him and Thor. They would find the bodies and the casket would be safe. He reluctantly allowed Sif take Ursa from his arms and he stood to follow his father and brother. Along the way, he passed by Sir Hugo, who had a grave look on his face. What was going on?

Frigga had Sif place Ursa's body in the healing center they had made for the warriors who lived in the palace when they came home from battles. She had the girl examined by nearly every healer they had, but no one could find anything wrong with her. Still, Ursa remained lying there unmoving, the only sign of life being her chest moving up and down very slightly as she breathed. Frigga sat at her side, holding her hand and whispering kind words into her ear. But Ursa did not hear any of it.

As soon as Loki saw the opportunity, he slipped through the hallways and made his way to the healing center where he found Ursa still unconscious and deathly pale. He looked and saw Frigga sitting, her face dark as she held Ursa's hand.

"They have no idea what happened to her." She told him, looking down at Ursa's face. Loki gave his mother a sad look.

"Go, I will watch over her." Frigga opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her. "Odin is in need of your presence right about now. We just had an attack." At that, Frigga sighed and left.

"Thor will need you as well." She called over her shoulder. The prince placed his face in his palm. Of course his brother would need him, but not right now.

Loki looked down at the now papery white girl and reached out to cup her cheek. As soon as his skin made contact with hers, she took a sharp intake of breath and grasped hold of his wrist. Before the prince could blink, Ursa had bolted up and snaked her arms around him in an iron grip. She buried her face in chest and breathed in and out deeply, keeping her eyes squeezed shut.

"Is this real?" Her muffled voice asked.

Loki cocked his head in confusion, but stroked the girl's hair nonetheless. "Yes, of course this is real." He kissed the top of her head. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Ursa pushed away from him so that she could look him in the eye. Horror, sadness and absolute shock filled her emeralds. "I saw everything. I was being burnt to death and then it seemed as if the entire universe was stuffing itself into my head. I heard heard so many thoughts, saw so many faces and there was so much pain." Her voice cracked and she shook her head as if trying to rid herself of those thoughts and the hands that clung to Loki's back threatened to tear the material of his coat. But he did not care. "What's happening to me, Loki?"

He wanted to tell her it was nothing, perhaps someone was playing a trick on her, or that she had fallen sick and was hallucinating. But the only words that fell from his lips were, "I don't know." And that only made the girl he loved cry.

A crash sounded through the halls and made it to Loki's ears. Thor. He sighed. "Ursa, calm down. We'll figure this out. Do not worry." He stroked her hair once more.

For a moment, Ursa felt as if she were back in Olympus, in that grassy field with her mother who loved to play with her hair all the time. It was only when Loki spoke again that she realized that that was not real.

"We should go make sure that Thor is not destroying the entire palace." He took hold of her shoulders and looked down at her face. "Can you walk?"

Ursa licked her lips. "Yes." And she jumped from his arms to the cold marble floor. For a second it was okay, she could stand and her head was clear. But when she leaned to take a step, her head felt as if it were bout to split in two. The feeling she had described to Loki came back and she once again saw everything. A red headed girl took down ten men on Earth. Zeus sat at his throne, a mask of despair replaced his once glowing face. Heimdall was speaking to a boy. Hermes.

Ursa was holding her head, curled up into a fetal position when her eyes snapped open. Her head nearly smacked Loki's as she bolted upright and began running. The prince called after her, but she did not stop. Hermes was here. Why?

The young prince sighed as he watched Ursa run. Should he run after her? If he did, Thor would surely cause more destruction. Or perhaps, he could kill two birds with one stone. He appeared at the front of the palace and saw where Ursa was headed. Rainbow bridge. If she kept traveling by foot, he would have enough time to calm his brother and then go see what Ursa was up to.

Breathing hard, Ursa continued her sprint across the bridge. She had tried to get down to the Bifrost without doing so, but could not make her mind focus long enough. So she settled for the long way. When she arrived, Heimdall had Hermes lifted up in one hand, ready to throw him out into space.

"Stop!" Ursa shouted. Heimdall turned to her. "He is-" She gasped for air. "A friend." She breathed.

"He is a trespasser." Was the the Gate Keeper's answer.

"I come with a message. Once it is delivered, I shall leave." Hermes squeaked, his entire body shaking. If it was any other time, Ursa would have laughed.

"Please, Heimdall." Ursa begged, clutching her side. "It will only be a moment."

The Gate Keeper looked at the girl, weak and crumbling at his feet and back to the boy in his hands. Without a word, he set Hermes on his feet and stepped away from the two.

"Once we are out of sight, get my father." Loki whispered to a guard before turning to join The Warrior's Three and Sif on their horses. The group jested about Heimdall and his gifts, Volstagg muttering a quiet apology to the Gate Keeper, afraid his head would be cracked open if the man were to hear them. Once they went down to the Bifrost, they would find Ursa and what she was running after. But Loki would not get the chance to see her until they returned.

Ursa sat on the steps in front of Odin's throne, staring blankly into space. The visions had dulled, coming less and less. She still saw everything, but only when her mind was not occupied. Right now she watched as her friends spoke to the Jotun King. She nearly smiled when Thor turned around and threw his hammer at the giant's head. But nothing would make her smile now.

"Ursula, was it?" A voice said nearby. "It's been quite a while since I've seen you." The girl in question looked over to see an old man sitting where Thor normally would, smoking a pipe.

"Who are you?"

"Sir Hugo. Loki must have told you about me." He placed the pipe into his mouth and raised his eyebrows at her.

"Yes, of course." Ursa looked down. "Wait," She looked back up at him. "We've never met. How have you seen me before?"

"My dear, I was here when you were born." He chuckled. "You've grown a lot since then. How long has it been? Two, three millennia?"

"You were there when I was born?" Ursa's eyes widened in shock. She was not sure how many more surprises she could take today. "Then..then you must know my mother."

"Oh yes, a very beautiful woman. Very charming. Kept to herself quite a bit." Silence fell over them, Ursa fighting back memories of her mother. They would do her no good now, only stab through her like a burning hot knife.

"Did you know," Hugo started again. "That when a God falls, their heirs absorb their powers? Everything they knew and everything they could do went to their children."

Ursa breathed in through her nose slowly, closing her eyes. "I think I knew that." She answered quietly.

"I thought you might. You have the same energy that Alethea did." A puff of smoke left his lips. "And that was not so the last time I saw you." And with that, the old man disappeared.

Ursa stayed where she was, sprawled out on the steps. So even a man she did not know, a complete stranger knew more than she had all these years.

"You're mom." Hermes had stammered. "She's-she's"

"Spit it out!" Ursa took hold of his arms, scared he might fall over.

"Dead." He finally blurted. "Hera killed her."

Ursa stopped breathing. "What?"

"Aphrodite told her that you were Zeus's child."

And at those words, those horrible words, Ursa threw him through the Bifrost, back to Olympus. She did not have to ask to know that it was true. She could see it now. It was so obvious. How could she have been so blind? The Goddess of _Truth_ had lied to her own daughter.

Ursa guessed that she was in shock, for she had yet to feel any remorse, shed a single tear for her mother. Or perhaps being able to see all that went on throughout all nine realm had torn her mind to bits already, tearing away any feelings she could have had. But when Odin walked into the room alone and stood in front of her motionless body, she became full of rage.

"Did you know?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Know what, child?" The king stepped forward and sat beside her.

"That Zeus is my father." Ursa covered her face, not wanting Odin to see her tears. Why did she have to start crying _now_?

"I did." He knew there was no point in lying to her.

"She's dead now because of you." The girl sat up and turned away from him, wiping away her tears. "You did not protect her. And now she's dead. She's gone." No matter how many times she rubbed her hand across her cheek, the tears kept it wet.

"I did not intend for this to happen." The king reached out to rub her back, but she recoiled away from his touch, appearing down the runway that led to the throne.

"But you knew it would. You knew that every time we left, she was in danger! You knew that when we left for the last time, it was a death sentence!" She spat at the All-Father, not bothering to hide her tears any longer. "She trusted you. She came here to feel safe, happy and be away from those devils she lived with."

"I wanted her to stay. But if she had, Zeus would have begun a war. He would not allow his family to be away from him." Odin stood now, his face set into a scowl. "I was protecting my kingdom. And that meant she could not be here."

"It meant _I_ could not be here!" Ursa screamed. "Zeus does not care for her! You could have kept her here, away from Hera and she would have been fine. We would all be safe."

"She would not leave you alone!" Odin barked. "I told her many times not to go, but she would not listen." His face grew dark. "She told me that it was better this way. You would be safe and happy. That was all she cared about."

Ursa stood there with her mouth hanging open, breathing hard as she stared at the king, wishing his words were lies, but she knew they were true. Sobs wracked through her body and she saw Loki in his room, staring down at his arm. And then everything became clear. She saw the truth.

The king was a liar and a thief. A man who played favorites and made his children strive for something that was unachievable. She looked at the man she had thought of as family in horror now. He did not deserve the throne, he was not worthy of choosing who replaced him. No one could save her from her own father, but perhaps she could save an innocent child of this man.

"I see the truth everywhere, my dear." Her mother had told her one night as they were getting ready to go to sleep. "No matter how deep it is buried, I will find it. Even if I do not wish to." The woman laughed softly then.

"What do you do with it?" Ursa asked.

A soft hand came down and stroked her hair like always. "Whatever I want."

Ursa straitened herself and wiped away her tears. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply and calmed herself. If she did now carry her mother's powers, then she could bring his lies to light. To protect Loki and even Thor from this man, she began concentrating hard. She hoped this would work.

Odin watched as Ursa lifted her arm and waved it slowly over her head and finally opened her eyes, resting her arm to her side once more.

The two stared at one another for a moment more before the girl turned and left the room. Odin sighed to himself and went to sit at his throne. Suddenly he felt very tired. _It has been a long day, _He thought.

_Oookay, there you go. Chapter six. Thank you so much to everyone who reads this and to all those who review as well. I love writing this story so much, and I hope to finish it before my life gets sucked up and I have to hand my soul over to my marching band. But even if I don't finish before then, I will continue to write. Updates might just be a little slower, but I won't stop writing. _

_~SDG_


	7. Chapter 7

"_Ageless beauty_

_Cruelty makes its holes_

_But on the shoreline_

_Time will hold its promise_

_We will always be a light_

_You can see it from the surface, see it"_

_-Ageless Beauty, Stars_

Ursa found Sif and the Warrior's Three sitting together, looks of worry on all of their faces. Loki stood by the fire, staring down at his hand. When she entered, all heads turned towards her except Loki's. Without a word, the girl went and snatched a piece of meat away from Volstagg's plate.

"Hey!" The warrior barked at her. "That's mine."

Ursa stuffed the food into her mouth. "Not anymore." She said, her words barely understandable.

"Stop fooling around." Fandral snapped. "Thor has been banished and we sit here, unpunished when we are just as guilty."

"How did the guard even know where we were going?" Volstagg asked, wincing as a healer rubbed in an ointment on his arm.

"I told him." All heads turned to Loki now.

"What?" Fandral asked, shocked. Ursa stared at him, wanting to smile at everyone's reactions. How could they be so surprised by it?

"I saved out lives." Loki defended himself against their harsh glares and Volstagg's words. "And Thor's. I had no idea that Father would banish him for what he did."

Sif stood then and strode towards the prince. "Loki, you must go to Odin and convince him to bring Thor back."

Ursa rolled her eyes, sneaking another bite of food from Volstagg, who was too shocked to notice her. She did not care for their arguing, not even for Thor's banishment. He was safer in Midgard. Though, she could see him now as he fought nearly twenty men to escape a white building. Even in a mortal body, he remained strong. But he was still also foolish. He did not stop to maybe observe his surroundings, perhaps realize that he was there for a reason and he was not going to come home anytime soon.

Ursa watched as Loki stormed out of the room. Odin would be falling into a deep sleep very soon hopefully, and Thor would remain safe where he was and the light would fall upon Loki. Perhaps then the fool's reign would be over and no more innocents would be hurt.

"Laufey said that there were traitors in the house of Odin." Hogun spoke. "A master of Magic could bring three jotuns into the palace." The warriors faces now darkened, realization flickering across their features. All except Fandral.

"Loki has always been one for Mischief, but you speak of something else entirely." He turned away from the others, but Ursa saw the doubt in his expression. Even he did not believe his own words. Below them, she saw Loki lift the so very precious casket, a look of terror creeping into his eyes as his fingers began to turn blue.

Ursa ran a hand through her hair. She knew she could not go down there now. He would have to discover this on his own. If she were to tell him, it would only hurt worse. She could not see them in Jotunheim, but speaking to Odin earlier and seeing Loki, she had seen every lie the king had told him. He was no Asgardian, he had no relations to anyone here.

She had wanted to tell him herself, but knew that there were some things that she could not do. He had to hear it from Odin, not her. To tell him herself would be cruel, she would be doing to him what Hugo had done to her. He had not realized it, perhaps, but he had hurt her deeply. There was no doubt that he knew who her father was. Loki had told her that Hugo could simply look at you and know nearly everything. To find out that someone else knows such things about you, that even a stranger knows more than you do, it's infuriating.

She would allow him to tell her later on, when Odin had fallen asleep. _Soon,_ she told herself. Ursa let herself out of the room and began walking through the halls, but was followed by Sif.

"Ursa," The warrior caught up with her, taking hold of her shoulder. "You did not say a word in there. What is your opinion on this?"

"I think that there are many things that your king does that are believed to be wonderful and glorious and always with purpose. But that there are some things that are wrong, even if it is done by the All-Father." Ursa continued her walk, pacing herself so that Sif would not have to rush to keep up. Not that it would a problem for the warrior. Still, she was a friend and her company was welcomed.

"So you agree that Thor's banishment should be cut short, and that he should be brought back?"

Ursa did not look at her, simply stared ahead as she walked. "No. I think he should remain on Midgard. While I disagree with the king on many things, banishing Thor is not one of them."

"What are you saying?" Sif beamed at her friend. "What is it that our king has done that has upset you? If it not Thor's banishment, then what is it?" Sif took hold of Ursa's arm, stopping her.

"He will protect his favored child at all cost, leaving his other to suffer in the dark and question his existence. He will teach his oldest son, but the other must teach himself. What is worse than being berated and punished for your actions is being ignored and waved away like nothing, because no one expects anything from you." Ursa stared strait into the eyes of her raven haired friend. This would be most confusing to her, considering she was blind to anything but the glory of Thor and believed there was nothing better than the hammer-wielding God. "And as for those he claims to be the friend of, he will let them walk into death without a second thought. That, his lies are what have upset me so. The only good thing he has done is sent Thor to Midgard. At least there he is safe and those around him are as well. And Odin can not play favorites when there is only one to play with." _And soon he won't be able to play at all_, she added in her head.

And then without a word, Sif released her arm, turning away and walking back to the lounge in which the other three were. Ursa continued her walk in the opposite direction.

She waited a long time, sitting on a boulder in front of a river running through the gardens of the palace. He would need to time to process everything, she knew. She was still processing her own affairs as well.

While waiting, she finally cried. Not the sobbing that was seen by Odin, but harsh cries of agony followed by waterfalls of tears. Her mother was dead. The woman who raised her, made her into who she is today was gone forever. Why had this happened? Because of her. She was the reason her mother was dead. If she had not been born, if she had never existed then none of this would have ever happened. She would never be favored by Zeus, never made Aphrodite angry and Hera would have never known about anything.

She saw the woman now, completely careless as she dined with the many Gods of Olympus. And Aphrodite, displaying herself to the other men and not caring for her husband. She hated them. Except Hermes. He was her only friend on Olympus. He and Persephone.

She only saw the bubbly girl when she was not with Hades. Even now, with her powers to see all of Asgard, Midgard and Olympus, Persephone was hidden from her along with the entire underworld where the dead were. Perhaps Hades did not wish anyone to invade his privacy. She understood. Even Heimdall disturbed her, with his powers to see all of the nine realms as well.

But she soon figured out that she could not see absolutely everything. Only Midgard, Asgard and Olympus and certain planets she had traveled to lay within her vision. She chalked it up to only seeing places she had been to before. Which made sense to her. Alethea had been alive a long time before she was born.

Before she was born she was happy. She probably had nothing to do with any of the Olympians, simply traveled on her own and lived happily. This thought brought on more tears and anger. As she began to sob once more, a soft hand came to rub the back of her neck softly. A very familiar hand.

Loki let the guards take Odin to his chambers, Frigga rushed to his side frantically. She sent for Hugo, who placed a spell over the king, the golden light shining over him. Loki stood by the door, waiting. He could not go in there now. Hugo came out and spared him one glance before lighting up his pipe.

"Before you ask, yes. I knew." The old man started. "I've known all along. There are only four of us who know. Three are here right now."

"Who is the fourth?" Loki placed his face in his hand, his head now feeling very full.

"It doesn't matter now. She is dead." Hugo looked down. "A shame, really. She was a fine woman, a bit on the soft side. But she had her secrets as well. Secrets that are becoming more exposed by the minute."

"Dead?" Loki looked up. "Who?"

"You may want to find Ursa and ask her." And Hugo walked away, his body slumped.

Loki sighed and entered Odin's chambers to speak with Frigga. After a few words of explanation, that she loved him still, he left. Ursa was in the gardens, alone and crying. He could not bear the pain he felt rolling off of her in great waves. He placed a hand on the back of her neck, both of her own ivory hands shooting up and holding it there. She heaved out a few more sobs before turning to face him. Her eyes were red and her cheeks wet.

"You go first." She blubbered, holding his hand tightly. He continued to look down at her, worry clear in his eyes. He had never seen her in such a fragile state. He wondered if this had ever happened before, that she had cried so much and hurt so badly. Perhaps she had and no one had ever seen her. Or maybe this was the first time for it to happen and he was the first to witness it.

Either way, he knelt down and placed his free hand on her cheek, wiping away the wet tears. "I am the son of Laufey, a frost giant. I have no relation to anyone here. I am not prince of Asgard, but of Jotunheim. My so-called father has just fallen into his Odin Sleep and my brother still remains the glorious hero he was, even on Midgard. My friends do not trust me, and I shall be forever in the shadow of Thor." He stared at her, licking his lips in anticipation of her reaction. She only cried harder.

"My mother is dead." Ursa squeezed her eyes shut. "Hera murdered her and still remains the queen of Olympus. Aphrodite caused her death and has received nothing but compliments from the men. No one mourns her death and she has faded away. My friend has been sent away to a planet he knows nothing about and the man I looked at as a father is now just as terrible as my real father." She spoke the words so quickly and mushed them together through tears that Loki had to struggle to understand her.

"And I have a confession." She squeaked. "I knew that you were Jotun. I discovered it only today. I saw you and-" She stopped, opening her eyes wide, as if she were looking at a ghost.

"I can not see." She breathed. Her tears had ceased, but she continued to hold onto Loki's hands with an iron grip.

"What is wrong?" The God of Mischief questioned, eyeing her warily.

"I can not see beyond what is in front of my eyes."

"What do you mean?" Had she gone mad? Of course, he believed her to have gone mad a long time ago, but this...

"My mother." Ursa spoke. "She could see everything. All nine realms at once. But she could also see what was inside as well. The Truth that lies in everyone. When she-" Ursa swallowed. "died, I absorbed her powers. I could do the same, but now I can't." The girl blinked hard and let go of Loki. Instantly, everything that she could see before came back and she saw Frigga sitting over Odin, close to tears.

Quickly, she took the prince's hands once more, and it disappeared. "It's you." She gasped. "You-" A wide smile broke out across her face.

"What?" How could she be smiling right now?

Without answering his question, she mashed her lips into his. "You-" She spoke between kisses. "Take away-the pain."

He pulled her back. "What do you mean?" He asked seriously. While he was enjoying this, he was utterly confused.

"You and I are opposites." She laughed. "It's so simple. We cancel each other out. I do not have the entire universe in my head when touching you, nor can I see what is inside, nor use it." Tears welled in her eyes once more. "With you, it's all gone."

Sighing, she leaned her head onto his shoulder, her face buried in his neck. For a moment, he held her contently. But there was something itching at his mind.

"You said you saw me. What exactly did you see?" He asked into her hair.

"I saw the confusion and hurt inside. The reality hit me, I could see what you are and when I looked back to Odin, it became clear. You opened my eyes to his lies and deceit."

"But-" Loki pulled Ursa back once more, earning a scowl from her. "If you knew I am Jotun, why have you remained close to me?" Yes he had told her of his birth origin, but he had expected her to run after laying all her grief onto him. Like everyone else would if they found out.

"Why would I not?" Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "You are still Loki." She placed a hand on his cheek, rubbing circles there lightly with her thumb. "You are still the only boy I would marry. Nothing will ever change that." She giggled. Even in this rut that they were in, there was still that light, that one silver lining in this dark cloud.

He stared at her, seeming to not notice the hand on his face, but just studied her. If she had been anyone else, they would have beaten him away like a monster. But she welcomed him still, accepted him, willing to marry him. Then it sank in. She wanted to marry him. The vow he had made came back and he let out a breath, holding onto her hand on his cheek. He couldn't ask her right now, for if he did that would simply be too much for her and everyone else. A wedding would not be the top thing on everyone's priority list. So he would wait. But it still made him happy.

"Loki?" Ursa asked, holding him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Loki smiled. "Perfect." For the moment, anyway. He leaned in and kissed her deeply. He took her hands and held them in his own, leaning his forehead against hers, both their eyes still closed. For just a moment, the world around them disappeared and they only thought of the here and now. They were together. That's what mattered.

Then- "Let's get married."

Loki's eyes couldn't open wide enough. "Did a lady just tell me to marry her?" That was not how he had imagined any proposal of any kind going.

"No, I am no lady. But yes, I am telling you to marry me." Ursa's eyes wondered about her for a moment. "Right now. Before anything else happens."

"Right now?" He looked at her incredulously. "But-"

Ursa put a finger to his lips, silencing him. "Midgardians do it all the time. They're very loose in their culture, some only know each other for a few hours before getting married." She held his chin now. "I know that usually the man proposes, and they tell every person that they know and then start planning a wedding. But we can have one of those later." She stood up, bringing Loki with her. "I want to marry you right now." Again, her eyes wondered. "And then tell everyone else later."

And that's exactly what they did. Frigga would later scold them for being so careless in the grand scheme of things that were happening. But the both of them needed it and Frigga knew it. At least something good had come out of this. With one of her sons gone and her husband unable to open his eyes, and her best friend dead- her youngest son being married to a girl he loved made her heart swell with happiness for a moment.

Loki only released Ursa's hand once throughout the entire night after that. And when he did, Ursa could see Midgard once more and nearly laughed and cried at the same time as she heard the words;

"Meow-meow? What's meow-meow?"

_Gotta love Darcy. Seriously, she's freaking hilarious. Oh, man I can't wait to write more. But I only have a week and then my writing time will be cut in half. Not even in half, it'll be pretty much gone, but again, I won't stop writing. I'll just be a little slow about it. I apologize ahead of time in case I cause you to be like me when I'm waiting for someone to update. Freaking. Furious. Anyway, enjoy your summer while it lasts. I will update as soon as the next chapter is written. And tell me what you think, maybe give me a few song suggestions-that'd be cool. Man, it's midnight. I'm going to bed._

_~SDG_


	8. Chapter 8

"_The interim of life has got you tiptoed and _

_pinning all your hopes on the top dog of dreams_

_You're not alone in this_

_The polyfilla way looks strong in the weakness _

_of the gaps"_

_-2-1, Imogen Heap_

"So what you are saying is, you are king."

"Yes."

"And that makes me queen."

"Yes."

"Well, then this is quite a turn of events." Ursa slumped in her seat, which was Loki's throne. At least the one that he sat in as prince.

"Indeed it is." The new king stood in full armor. He had just finished speaking with Frigga, who had his father's staff presented to him and declared him king.

"Quite convenient as well." Ursa propped her leg up on one arm rest and leaned against the other. Loki turned to face the rest of the room, smiling to himself. This was something that he had always wanted. His entire life he thought it impossible, and he had accepted that Thor would be king. Long ago he had settled for being only prince, and he was content with that. But this, this was beyond anything he had ever dreamed of.

It seemed as if the Norns had planned this all out for him. Not only had his only competition for the throne been banished to completely other planet, the king now asleep, but he had Ursa here with him. Another thing he had never thought would happen. Today was his day.

A thought popped into his head. Closing his eyes, he concentrated for a moment and a silver tiara appeared on Ursa's head. The girl's eyes rolled back as she tried to look up at the new object on her head.

"What's this?" She asked, reaching up and taking the tiara off. Her mouth hung open at its beauty. It was decorated with diamonds, sparkling in the light, and had a design that mirrored vines, if the vines were silver.

"I believe I told you before, my first as king is to find a crown to fit my queen." Loki smiled at her, admiring his own work.

Ursa placed the tiara back on her head and waved a hand over her body. The sleeveless white dress she had been wearing now turned silver as well and sparkled just as much as the diamonds on her head. She did not skip out on the shoes -no, she made those stand out just as much.

"How do I look?" Ursa puckered up her lips, much like the midgardian women that she had seen did. Duck-face they called it. She knew she looked ridiculous, but the laugh that she earned from Loki was completely worth it. It was like the last time she was here. The rare moments when he let himself go in front of her and there was nothing but happiness in all his features. It was worth everything to her.

After a moment, Loki straitened himself and sat on his new throne, looking out at the world. He had been told that the All-Father could see all of Asgard and Midgard when he sat on the throne, but he never truly believed it. Sitting there now, he chose to not doubt so many things anymore.

"It's empowering isn't it?" _And frightening_, she wanted to add. Ursa stood beside him, no doubt seeing what he saw. "You can see everything and no one can hold any secret from you." She had always known what power the throne held. Once, when she was a small child, she and Thor had snuck and sat upon it and experienced what the king did each day. They had tried to tell Loki, but he would not listen.

"It is." The God breathed. He saw Thor now, looking for his hammer. And the mortals who had found him. He smirked. "He is nothing there. A fool they believe to have a mental disability."

Ursa giggled. "Of course, the mortals no longer worship any of us as they once did." Ursa sighed. "They never even knew that I existed. Perhaps one day they will."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I've been doing a bit of research over the silly race. They can not function on their own. One problem after the other. They haven't any clue of the universe around them, they do not know of the power that lies just within their reach." A look of pity spread over her face. "Their such a pathetic species. Like ants. They have no reason to exist, yet they fight tooth and nail for their right to live. I find it quite entertaining."

Before Loki could speak, Sif and the Warrior's Three came marching in, hands over their hearts and asking for their All-Father. Ursa smiled and waved at them playfully. But then she looked down at Loki's face and saw how serious he had become. She sighed, not wanting to be a part of this conversation. Turning away from the group, she disappeared.

Frigga sat next to her husband's sleeping form, jumping slightly as Ursa appeared in front of her. The girl sat cross legged with her back to the elder woman and braided a small strand of hair.

"Hello dear." Frigga greeted her, reaching down to stroke the girl's hair. Ursa froze for a moment, flashes of her mother coming back to her as Frigga's hand came in contact with her. "I see you've become quite comfortable with your new position as queen." She continued, eyeing Ursa's outfit.

Ursa shook her head, expelling the memories. "It was Loki's first act, giving me a crown. I simply adjusted to it. But I know I shall never be a queen like you." She turned to face her now and hugged the woman's knees, placing her chin upon her thigh and looking up at Frigga.

"Well, I am not so sure about that. Alethea raised you to be a fine woman." That stung a bit, but the new queen shrugged it off. She did not like being reminded her mother was gone.

"I suppose." She looked away from Frigga's face. "Do you love him?"

Again, Frigga stroked her hair. "I do, very much." She said, knowing what Ursa was referring to. "Even when Odin brought him to me and he turned blue as he passed him to me. I have loved him from the moment that he looked up at me with those red eyes." She took a deep breath. "And do you love him?"

Ursa smiled, letting her eyes slide closed. "Of course. Even when we were children, I knew there was no one else I would rather spend the rest of eternity with."

"That is all that matters to me."

They stayed like that for a while. Ursa enjoyed the feel of motherly fingers running through her hair softly. She thought of all the nights she spent lying with her mother watching the sun set and the stars come out. She would often fall asleep there, the feel of her mother's hands in her hair so soothing as she lied there, not a care in the world. Those days were gone now.

Ursa hadn't even noticed until Frigga ran a hand across her cheeks that she had been crying. Quickly, she leaned away and wiped her eyes. She stood and found Loki sitting on the other side of Odin, his face unreadable as he stared down at the previous king.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Frigga beat her. "There is a purpose to everything your father does." She saw Loki flinch at her words. Apparently, they had been talking while she roamed through her mind.

Loki stood and began to exit the room with Ursa following closely. She took hold of his hand softly as they walked. "And where are you going?" She whispered into his ear as he slowed his pace.

"To Midgard. I must find a way to keep my brother there."

"I'm coming with you." He stopped.

"What reason could you possibly have to want to go there? You were just telling me how you thought of the mortals as nothing earlier." He stared at her incredulously.

"I want to say goodbye to Thor." She glared back, daring him to deny her this. "With you as king, I do not believe he will be coming back anytime soon." She breathed in deeply. "And he is my friend and I love him very much. I want to wish him farewell in place of the others as well."

Loki sighed, knowing that arguing with her would amount to nothing but him giving in and she winning. "Very well." And he grabbed her hand and they disappeared.

They reappeared in a white room, Thor sat across the small room in Midgardian attire, his face bruised and his clothes tattered slightly.

As Loki spoke to him, Ursa bit her lip as she watched Thor's face fall and she thought of the last time she visited. She had been ripped away from her home, told she would never return. And now she was doing the same to Thor. As much as she tried to justify it with the excuse that she was keeping him safe, away from Odin, she knew it was not the truth. Loki turned to her and held her close, whispering into her ear. "Be quick, there is little time before the mortals return." And he disappeared.

Ursa saw the new king stand before the hammer of Thor, knowing his attempts to lift it would be futile. But she ignored him and turned her attention to Thor. A tear had escaped his eyes and he now looked like a sad puppy. Before he could blink, Ursa was sitting between his legs with her arms wrapped around his waist.

"I am so sorry, my friend." She said into his belly. "Please forgive me. I only do this to keep you safe." She begged him with her eyes now. "It is better for you here, safer. Asgard is no longer a place you can return to anytime soon. But I promise," She took his face into her hands. "You will come back. It will be a long time, but you will return and we will be happy. The three of us will be a family again. There will be no lies and we will love one another honestly." She smiled at him, pleading for him to understand.

"What?" His brows furrowed together and he took her hands away from his face. "What are you saying, Ursa?"

"You shall live out your life as a mortal here," She explained. "The All-Father's last demand will be honored. Once your mortal shell has expired, your soul will return to Asgard and you will be prince once more." She tried to smile at him, but failed. "Please know that this is for your safety, Thor. I have already lost my mother because of Odin, and I will not lose you as well." She held his hands in both of his, struggling to keep eye contact as he kept looking away. "Do you understand, Thor?"

The now mortal Thunder God swallowed and nodded. Ursa sighed and wrapped him up in a tight hug. "Thank you, my friend." She breathed across the back of his neck. "I shall see you again." One more sad smile, and she was back in Asgard.

Sir Hugo sat with Frigga across the unconscious body of Odin. There was something wrong, and he knew it. Odin did not just go into the Odin Sleep without any notice at all. He knew it was some sort of spell, but it mirrored the power of the Odin Sleep so well he had a hard time deciphering whether it was real or he was just getting old.

"What troubles you, Hugo?" Frigga asked, her fingers lacing with Odin's.

"I do not believe this was a coincidence." He told her, his favorite pipe in his mouth.

"What, someone sent Odin to Sleep? Impossible." Frigga waved his words away.

"Frigga," The old man looked at her gravely. "You and I have been around for a very long time and seen many things. Do you really think it would be impossible?"

The former queen simply stared at him, her hand tightening around her husband's.

"You still love Thor?" Loki's voice was venomous as he questioned Ursa through gritted teeth. But the queen was not phased by his tone.

"Yes. Just as I love Sif and Volstagg and Fandral and Hogun." She spat him. He had been sulking over her talk with Thor for an hour now, anger boiling in him.

The king felt betrayed once more. She was protecting him, the very man who was the cause of his envy, his grief. He glared at her for a moment longer before turning from her and heading to the Bifrost.

"Where are you going?" Ursa called out to him, her voice panicked. He could not leave her.

"To Jotunheim and cleaning up my brother's mess." She froze at that. It was a lie. Without missing a beat, she appeared in front of him, taking hold of his shoulders to stop him. He struggled against her, but quickly stopped when he saw the tears that had welled in her eyes. And the snarl at her mouth.

"I thought you knew you could not lie to me." Now it was her turn to growl through gritted teeth. "Without me, none of this would have happened. Yes, I love Thor and everyone else but one. And I am trying to protect everyone else from that man. Without me, you would not have been king, Thor would have fought to come back home and Odin would still rule."

Her nails were now digging into Loki's skin, even through the leather he wore. But it did not bother him in the slightest. He looked down at his queen, saw through the angry snarl and tears and saw the hurt in her eyes. Only she could make a wave of guilt pass through his body. Not that he would ever admit to that.

"I am here because I love you. I have missed you all these years and now my only wish is to live with you happily. And if making you happy means keeping Thor on Midgard and going against the All-Father, so be it. Whatever it takes to make you happy." She held his face in her hands. "I will do it."

"What?" A voice sounded behind them. They both turned to see Sif, eyes wide with shock as she stared at the two of them. Ursa pulled Loki back to her.

"Go-and be safe." She pushed him away and he continued to make his way to the Bifrost.

"Hello, Sif." Ursa smiled sweetly at her friend.

"Ursa," Sif took a step towards her. "What is going on? You just said you were keeping Thor on Midgard and going against our king!"

"Ah-ah" Ursa wagged her finger at Sif. "Loki is our king now, and I his queen. And we have both decided that keeping Thor on Midgard is what is safest for him, and fair to the All-Father's last demand."

"But-Thor does not belong there, he is needed here."

"And what would come of that?" Ursa raised an eyebrow at her. "Thor was the one to attack the Jotun and begin this whole thing with his arrogance and recklessness. He is now learning humility, which is what he needs. It won't be long until he is back."

"And how long will that be?"

"Until his mortal body has expired, of course. Once that has happened, he may return to Asgard as the glorious Thunder God he once was. Only wiser and kinder than before."

"So he is to die on Midgard? Surrounded by people he knows nothing about and come back to serve his younger brother while his father still sleeps?" Sif could not believe what was coming from her friend's mouth, if she could even call her that now.

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds so horrid." Was Ursa's answer.

Sif only shook her head and turned away from the queen, heading back to wherever she had come from. But ursa did not let her go that easily. She appeared in front of her and held Sif's shoulders. "Please, my friend." The queen said sadly. "I love you and Thor with all my heart. My plan is for us all to live happily. You will see."

"I've seen enough." Sif jerked away from Ursa's hands and continued her walk. Ursa simply rolled her eyes and went to see Frigga. She was always comforting. But not today. Hugo sat with the elder woman and his head snapped up at her entry. That girl had done something, he could _smell_ it on her.

"You." He stabbed a finger in her direction, making her freeze.

"Me?" She replied in confusion.

Hugo's eyes went back and forth between her and Odin, feeling the spell over his rightful king and easily connecting it with the energy coming off of Ursa. "You cursed our king!" He stood and took hold of her arm.

"What are you talking about?" Ursa tried to shake him off to no avail. The old man was strong.

"This is no Odin Sleep." He growled at her, ignoring Frigga's small gasp. "What did you do to him?"

Ursa looked at him and stopped struggling. "Let go and I shall tell you." She said calmly. Hugo complied, releasing her arm. Ursa did not look at Frigga, for she knew that if she did her efforts to keep them all safe and happy would be useless and she would reverse everything.

"It is a small spell, no harm will come to him through it. He shall simply sleep until I say he may wake up." She smiled at the old man's reddening face. "It is his punishment for lies he has put inside everyone's heads. The hell he put my husband through will not be overlooked. In his state, he can not bring anymore hurt to his children or anyone else's." Ursa struggled to keep her voice strong as she spoke, but faltered slightly as she finished.

"What will it take for you to reverse this spell you have put upon him?" Hugo snapped.

"Time, Sir Hugo." Ursa crossed her arms. "A lot of time."

"Ursa, please think of what you are doing." Frigga spoke up, making a stabbing pain go through the new queen. "It is not right, he has done nothing to-"

"My mother is dead because of him!" Ursa shouted, finally looking at Frigga. As soon as she did, she regretted it. Taking a deep breath, she spoke again in a softer tone. "He is the cause of my misery and Loki's. He has hurt his children and should be stopped. And he has, by me. He will awaken once more, when Thor returns."

"And when will _that_ be?" Hugo snapped at her, his eyes fiery.

Ursa licked her lips, looking at Frigga and then to Hugo. "When his mortal shell can no longer hold him. Then he shall return as the God he is and will be an even better man."

Frigga let out a breath and all of Ursa's resolve disappeared. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to block out the image of the previous queen crying and instead concentrated on Thor now sitting with a mortal and telling her of the nine realms. Then she smiled.

"Your son will be happy there." She turned to Frigga. "He has already found love there. And with her he will love a long and happy life. And once she too has gone, I will go to Hades myself and retrieve her for Thor, no matter the cost." Ursa knelt before the weeping woman now. She reached up to wipe away her tears, wishing the look that she was giving her now would disappear and she would understand. "I am only trying to make everyone happy. And happiness comes at a price, and mine has come at a great one. Please, understand that."

Frigga reached out and cupped Ursa's cheek. "What has happened to you, child?" Her voice was unbearable and Ursa nearly screamed at the pain it caused her.

"I have lost much, Frigga, and I am trying to fill this hole that has been put there by a woman who now rules my home and a man who fathered my love. We will all be together, safe and happy in the end." Her voice grew more and more desperate, but Frigga continued to look at her sadly. The elder woman turned away from her and took hold of Odin's hand. Ursa knelt before her for only a moment more before disappearing to Loki's chambers.

In the bed she lied on her side, crying into the pillows. How could they not understand? She only wanted the best for them all. To remain here, her home, and protect those she loved from those who had taken everything from her. But it would be no use if they were all against her and Loki. She looked down at her ring at that, remembering that she and him were now married. And then she realized, that's all that mattered. As long as they were together, nothing- no one else mattered.

He was her dream. Her source of happiness and reason to continue on with her existence. The crown, Odin, Frigga and even Thor did not compare to him. Zeus would come looking for her, Jotunheim would declare war, Asgard would rebel and she would continue to love him. Perhaps if no place in any realm was fit for them, they could go beyond that.

"There is another place, between time and space, before heaven and so hidden not even Zeus or Odin know of it. A place that Gaia herself created, where the first two humans were born. It is a Paradise fit for only the most pure of beings, those whose love is so strong that death could not tear them apart." Alethea had told her of this place when she was only a child. Of course, it was only a story- but the light that she saw in her mother's eyes when she spoke of it told her that it was real.

And that one day, she would find it. If nothing else, she would take Loki there with her and they would live there together. Nothing would change the fact that Ursa loved Loki. Nothing would convince her that he was evil. And nothing would get in the way of their life together. Nothing, not Odin, not even Zeus would change anything.

Hugo crossed the Rainbow Bridge easily, simply thinking of Heimdall and appearing before him. The Gate Keeper spared him no glance, but he did speak. "Our king has blocked the Bifrost from all who wish to use it until the quarrel with Jotunheim has been taken care of." The large man's voice frightened many, but did not phase Hugo.

"I wish to go to the palace of Zeus." Hugo told him.

"I am afraid that even if I were to allow you access to the Bifrost, you would still not be able to enter that realm. Olympus has been blocked from all Asgardians."

"Well, then it seems I will have to get there on my own." And the Master of Magic disappeared.

_And one more chapter and we are done here! _

_Review!_

_~SDG_


	9. Chapter 9

"_Serve God love me and mend_

_This is not the end_

_Live unbruised we are friends_

_And I'm sorry."_

_-Sigh no more, Mumford and Sons_

Ursa lied in bed with Loki, asleep after her long day. If she had been away from Loki, if she had been watching, she would have woken up the All-Father the very second she caught sight of Hugo kneeling before Zeus.

Loki left her alone in bed to look over his kingdom, finally feeling the full impact of the many events that happened. To him, everything was perfect. He was king of Asgard, married to the girl he loved and was close to proving himself worthy to his father. It would only be a while longer.

But this perfect moment was interrupted by the sudden light beaming from the Bifrost. Anger coursed through his veins and he turned away, already knowing his plan for Heimdall. But first, the Destroyer.

Ursa sat upright in bed in a panic. He was coming here, to take her away. Hugo sat with Odin once more, comforting Frigga once more. Ursa quickly slipped on a white sleeveless dress and made her way to the three. But she stopped.

People were running, screaming. Volstagg valiantly threw himself at the Destroyer. What was that doing there? She stood and watched for a while, panic rising within her. Loki had sent the Destroyer to Midgard. No, this was not what she had planned. Quickly she ran to the throne room where Loki sat.

"Stop!" She shouted at him upon entering. "You can not do this. You can not kill him." Ursa ran to where he was seated, leaning down and taking his face in her hands. "Please, my love. Stop it. Stop it now."

Loki looked at her not with anger or hate as would with anyone else who told him to stop, but rather happily. "My dear, he is already there, doing as I have told him. Thor shall not be killed. But as for the others-" A slap across his cheek stopped his words.

"I had a plan." She growled. "A plan that kept you on the throne, everyone alive and together. This was not part of that plan!" She shook with panic. Then she heard Thor speak. "Listen to him, Loki. He seeks forgiveness from you. Let him live, he will remain there until his mortal body has ceased to support him any longer."

"And then what?" Loki stood, towering over her. "He will return and take everything from me once more!"

"No he won't. I won't let him!"

"And what power do you have? You are nothing but a pathetic girl running from what she is afraid to face. Her father, her mother's death, and-" He stopped, his body freezing. Ursa had tears running down her cheeks and hate in her eyes. But that's not what stopped him.

"Kneel, God of _Lies_." She spat. And even as hard as he struggled, he felt to his knees before her. "This is the power I have. This is what I am afraid to face. The man I love is everything I am not. He is impure and cruel and full of lies. And he must make a choice. Love or hate?" Zeus would be here soon, she knew, but this was more important. She could not run just yet.

Loki looked up at her. If he killed Thor, he would lose her. But he had only just achieved his dream and it was so close to being taken away if Thor was brought back. The king let out a cry and Thor was sent flying across the Midgardian streets. "He will not die." He said quickly. "But he will not return."

Ursa did not smile or release him, instead she got to her knees in front of him and placed a soft finger on his lower lip. "That's all I ask." She whispered. Loki felt whatever had been holding him let go and he sighed inwardly. Without warning, Ursa's lips pressed onto his. But before he could respond, she leaned away.

"Go, I know of your plan. Just be safe." He heard the sadness in her voice and gave her a questioning look. But she only shook her head. "Just go. Please."

And so he did.

As soon as Loki left, she felt him appear behind her. Zeus. "Are you here to take me away?" She asked without turning around.

"Yes."

"And if I refuse to leave?"

A hand shot out and yanked her around by her arm. Within seconds, Ursa felt as if the blood in her veins was being sucked right out of her body. "Then I will force you, child. I will not have you fooling around here with these people."

"And why not?" Ursa forced out, she felt as if she were drowning. It was getting hard to breathe. "You are nothing to me, Zeus. I may be your daughter...but I shall never love you like one loves her father. So why drag me all the way back... there..." Ursa struggled to speak, going in and out of consciousness.

"Is it not obvious, child?" Zeus released her arm, allowing her to collapse on the floor. Ursa gasped for air and clutched at her now dry throat. "You hold more power than you can comprehend. I need you with me if I am ever to use it." He stood over her, a look of pity on his face as he looked down at her. "Your mother had control of it and wouldn't let me have it. Of course, that did not keep me from controlling _her_."

Ursa could barely move, breathe or keep her eyes open. Zeus sat next to her and stroked her hair. Unlike any other time someone did so, she was disgusted. "Come now, dear" Zeus said, noticing the look on her face. "Allow me to help you control this power you have. We shall conquer entire galaxies with it." He leaned in close to her ear. "We shall even find Paradise."

And then something snapped within her. May it have been Alethea's spirit overtaking her or the Norns themselves reaching out to her, she was suddenly filled with strength. She stood and slapped Zeus away, sending his body flying across the room.

"You shall never find it. You shall never have this power and you will never touch me again." Her voice full of venom, she reached forward and clenched her hand into a fist. Zeus cried out in pain. "As queen of Asgard, I banish thee to the Whirlpool of Hades. There, you shall drift with the souls of those whose lives you have ruined."

Ursa let out a breath and let her arm fall, Zeus's cries stopping immediately. Slowly, the God began to wither away, starting with his toes. But he did not panic, instead he began to laugh. "You think you've won." He cackled. "But I am Zeus, you dumb twit. I shall rise once more. Hades can not keep me contained. And once I do, I will have your power and the first thing I shall do is rid this universe of your oh so precious lover." All his body was gone but his head. "And it will be your hand that wipes him from existence. Your Truth shall destroy his Lies." And then he was gone.

Ursa stood, shell shocked in her place. Her vision came back to her and she saw that Thor had returned. Loki was in the Bifrost, unleashing its full power upon Jotunheim. She watched as the two brothers fought and Odin awoke. She knew how that had happened without wondering. When Zeus took away her power and strength in those few moments, the spell over Odin had warn off. Now he would punish Loki and her as well.

"Plans don't always go how you want them to, do they?" She heard Hugo's voice behind her say.

"What will he do to us?" Ursa turned to him.

"There's no way to tell what Odin will do. I have known him for centuries and I still can not predict his actions." Hugo smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "But there is good in you, I can see that. It's hidden by your greed and selfishness, but it's there."

"Greed and selfishness?" Ursa gawked at him. "What do you mean?"

"You put the king to sleep, helped Loki keep Thor on Earth and took Frigga's place as queen." The old man raised an eyebrow at her.

"I had no intention of becoming queen, and I have already told you why I cursed Odin and kept Thor where he was."

"But it does not matter. It was what you wanted, what you thought what was best. You only thought of yourself, of your happiness."

"And do I not deserve to do so?" Ursa fired back. "My family has been slaughtered and my loved ones betrayed. I mean only to protect them."

"But you can not. Odin has risen and shall punish you for your crimes."

Ursa blinked. Loki was hanging, the great abyss below him so close. Before she could move, or even blink, he had let go. Something scratched in her throat, the air in her lungs left her. She was screaming. How could he? Leave her here with Odin, alone to suffer.

Hugo took a step back as the girl screamed. He covered his ears, for it was becoming painful to hear. But as soon as he did, she stopped. He opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them, and saw that she was gone. He did not feel her presence anywhere in the room, nor did he while he walked through the palace on his way back to Frigga.

A random planet, Ursa did not even know the name of it. But she sat on it, allowing her tears to flow freely. She could not go back to Olympus or Asgard. She sat there for many days and nights, watching her two homes go on without her there. Thor mourned for the both of them, Hera searched for her husband and Loki was no where to be seen.

Perhaps he was dead, gone forever. But something in her gut told her otherwise. He was here somewhere. Alive and alone. She only needed to find him.

On Earth, Nick Fury walked through the many halls of SHEIL's headquarters underground. He did not enjoy doing this, but when was the last time he enjoyed doing anything? He was here on a mission. Get her and get out. She was a dangerous experiment, unstable and near indestructible. Perfect.

Putting in the proper code, passing the eye scan and momentarily blinding himself-but not allowing any soul to notice- he finally reached her. She sat, hands chained together along with her feet. Her black hair hung all the way down to her ankles and covered her face. She wore a full body suit, the material tight on her skin.

"Malakai Vice, I have an assignment for you."

_And there you have it, Amore! And guess what? There's a sequel! Hooray! It will not be as short, I hope, and I will write as much of it as I can, when I can. This is the last day before my life is sucked up and I barely have time to breathe. So, I'll see you guys later._

_Be sure to review!_

_~SDG_


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